Christians are using liberal 'equality' rules to go on the lawfare offensive against the hitherto virtually unchallenged LGBTQ lobby. The Christian Institute has warned that Civil Service endorsement of LGBT Pride breaches rules on impartiality and is launching a legal challenge.
On Wednesday, the Institute notified Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald of its intention to seek judicial review of Civil Service participation in Pride events. It also called for an end to rainbow lanyards and the use of ‘preferred pronouns’ in public-facing email signatures.
Its legal action follows a recent High Court ruling against Northumbria Police, which said participation in Pride marches breached the force’s impartiality duties. In taking on the Civil Service, the CI has instructed Conrathe Gardner Solicitors – the same law firm that helped gender critic Linzi Smith in her victory over Northumbria Police.
The Civil Service Code states that all employees are expected to carry out their roles with “integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality”.
Staff must act “in a way that is fair, just and equitable” and that does not “unjustifiably favour or discriminate against particular individuals or interests”.
Guidance on Diversity and Inclusion and Impartiality in the Civil Service calls on civil servants “to ensure individual personal and political views do not, and are not perceived to, influence our advice or actions”.
CI Spokesman Simon Calvert said: “The law is clear that civil servants must maintain impartiality on controversial political issues. Whether one agrees with it or not, no one can deny that the LGBTQ Pride movement and its hard-line gender ideology are profoundly political.
Mr Calvert, pointing to Linzi Smith’s successful judicial review of Northumbria Police, said: “Involvement in Pride signals support for a highly contentious set of political demands. It is inappropriate for civil servants to be officially endorsing Pride.”