Government agencies paying thousands to become 'Diversity Champions' for gay-rights charity

Government agencies and public bodies are paying hundreds of thousands of pounds a year to become 'Diversity Champions' for a charity with controversial views on transgender rights. Roughly 250 Government departments and public bodies, including police forces, local councils and NHS trusts, pay thousands each year to be members of the programme run by Stonewall. The amount that each organisation pays is shrouded in secrecy, but the base rate is £2,500 and can vary depending on the size of the organisation, suggesting that the taxpayer is footing a bill of at least £600,000. A recent Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) shows it is paying the charity £6,000 a year for two subscriptions – one for their staff in England and one in Wales. A separate FOI request to the Scottish Government shows it paid £9,144 to the charity in 2019, including £7,200 for membership. As part of the programme, organisations are given training on inclusion and instructed to implement controversial policies such transgender people being able to choose which toilets and changing rooms to use. The CPS is currently facing a judicial review over its membership, which campaigners say renders it “institutionally biased”. It is said the legal challenge could have “huge implications” for other public bodies. On Saturday evening, critics claimed signing up to policies set by a group which is lobbying to change the law on gender issues, calls into question the ability of public bodies to remain impartial. The list of members on Stonewall’s website includes approximately 250 taxpayer-funded institutions, an analysis by The Telegraph has found, including GCHQ, MI5, the Ministry of Defence, the Cabinet Office, the Department for Education and the Ministry of Justice. The list also contains 57 local authorities, 47 emergency service providers, including almost 30 police forces, and more than 50 NHS organisations. Stonewall’s accounts show it made £3.26 million in fees last year, up from £2.76 million the year before, a large part of which comes from the Diversity Champions programme, but also includes payments from schools for becoming 'Education Champions' and for event speakers. On their own websites many organisations hail themselves as Diversity Champions without mentioning they pay a subscription fee for the title. For example, the Department for Work and Pensions notes: “Stonewall acknowledges DWP as a Diversity Champion in recognition of our work to promote supportive work environments for our lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) colleagues” – but does not disclose any payments. Stonewall says membership allows organisations to have access to their research and expertise as well as networking opportunities. One teenage girl, supported by the Safe Schools Alliance UK (SSA),has applied for a judicial review of the CPS membership of the Diversity Champions programme. The CPS has responded saying membership of the Diversity Champions programme has no bearing on its role as a prosecuting authority, and a judge is set to decide whether there is a case to answer in the coming weeks. Tracy Shaw, a spokesperson for the SSA, said there was a duty on public bodies to remain impartial, objective and balanced and that could be compromised by membership of a lobby group. She said: “How can you be impartial when you are part of a champion programme which compels you to do certain things and behave in a certain way that contravenes women and girls rights to safe spaces?" Nancy Kelley, chief executive of Stonewall said: "All employers, including public authorities, have a legal duty to reduce inequalities and ensure lesbian, gay, bi and trans people are free from discrimination at work. “Our industry-leading Diversity Champions programme supports organisations to make their workplaces more inclusive of LGBT people. This work is absolutely vital as more than a third of LGBT staff (35 per cent) hide who they are at work, while one in five (18 per cent) have been the target of bullying because they’re LGBT. “The programme covers everything from policy and procedure, to staff networks and monitoring, to culture and well-being to help organisation create truly inclusive workplaces." A CPS spokesman said: “Our status as a Stonewall champion plays no part in our decision making. It is to show that the CPS is an employer that welcomes and respects our LGBT+ staff.”

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