ACAS confirms it has left Stonewall - the Times

I was also thinking that there will be conversations/memos going around the senior staff/General Counsels of these organisations. People talk, it’s human nature. And I think leaving Stonewall could be the next corporate social contagion.

I agree with PP that it's sad to see Stonewall fall.

But when you give bad advice that causes your clients to act unlawfully, well, that's very expensive advice indeed.

So it's no surprise that many organisations are seeing thirty pieces of silver as too costly.

Here's to many more budget reviews.

Foo chilling is absolutely the right way of putting it. With the likes of ACAS if you imbed SW law into internal policies then this will effect the advice given out. So by getting ACAS on board they can send out their spidery tentacles all over.

Does anyone else find it chilling to realise the extent to which Stonewall had managed to infiltrate so many bodies? The ECHR! ACAS! Schools! That in itself should have been a warning sign that something else was going on.

Ostensibly they were supposed to be advising only about employees but clearly were using this scheme to internally meddle in things far, far beyond their remit. And none of us had a clue.

I believe a number of universities have let their memberships lapse or will not be renewing. This is through the grapevine though.

Fucking excellent! Long may it continue!

Excellent news. I agree with @Barracker about hoping for other companies to review their budgets.

It's an absolute scandal that ACAS, whose very existence is to know the bloody law on equality, didn't understand that Stonewall was lying to them. I can understand a school head or whatever not knowing the law, but ACAS and EHRC? It makes you think these bodies are either not fit for purpose, or something seriously untoward has happened that has allowed them to adopt Stonewall lies - let's call them what they are - and get away with it for so long.

I am guessing that anyone who did sign up may not want the decision scrutinized too much so the leaving because of costs statement is a bit less confrontational and will bring less grief their way.

Wonderful news!

Tee hee, called it

Who's next, I wonder?
I predict there'll be a little flurry of 'budget reviews' from other organisations and I hope every single one hits the papers.

And when they do, the effect will be greater than every well crafted argument would have been. Because even corporations act like pack animals, and watching others leave the sinking ship will give them all the heebie-jeebies.

Perhaps the lack of a decent explanation for dropping Stonewall, is mitigated by the lack of thanks. Usually, if there has been an amicable parting of ways, the parties would be issuing gushing, heartfelt praise and thanks for one another. There doesn't appear to be any of that, just a few luke warm remarks. You can read between the lines if you are "in the know"; and for the uninitiated, perhaps you are left with the impression that Stonewall is just not a good enough provider to be value for money.

We may soon need a list of organizations who have left Stonewall thread,

I think you will find the LGB Alliance are now occupying that space.

" I don't know which person or board decision set Stonewall on the path to effectively be corporate UK's outsourced 'diversity' department"

It is about meeting requirements of equality legislation, organizations do not sign up just to be woke and even those with good legal departments may not have expertise in this area. What has obviously happened is that those that do have asked them to look at Stonewall's advice and they have twigged they have been sold a pig in a poke.

ACAS are being kind about just quouting cost reasons. They were sold worthless legal advice.

ACAS are an employment dispute service, their remit is literally to avoid controversy.

Commercial organizations who have been fleeced may be less kind

Stonewall - if you're reading - how about you set the T free now that you have given it a platform, and go back to what you do best? It would be a shame if that were to be lots.

"Stonewall gets back to basics as it establishes separate Trans-rights lobbying group".

I even wrote the headline for your press release for you!

I cannot feel sad.

Stonewall was a good thing but that was a long time ago, they did not even initially campaign for equality of marriage just hitched on the bandwagon after others had got it moving.

It is now rotten to the core. Its only members are corporations and government bodies. It pursues an agenda that is dictated by pharmaceutical companies that want to experiment on kids and put them on drugs for life.

ACAS leaving is massive. Organizations with good lawyers have woken up, others will follow.

I am laughing my back off as it crumbles.

Great news.

Great news! I can’t wait for Stonewall to fall - and no, I don’t really feel sad to say that. They bear no resemblance to the real Stonewall now. They’re a massive gravy train ploughing on over women’s rights and gay people’s rights. It’s way past time for them to stop.

More than that, I’d like some kind of enquiry and people named and blamed. They’ve done so much damage and they shouldn’t be allowed to get away with it.

Cheers, all. This is getting very interesting indeed.

I can't fucking smile wide enough!