Police giving money to Stonewall

[SheWhoMustNotBeHeard]

www.spectator.co.uk/article/why-is-the-police-spending-money-on-stonewall-subscriptions-

I'm not sure if there has been a discussion on this.

(Sorry for the hit and run, late for work!)

I suspect a terrifying number of organisations, including many public institutions, are signed up. I know my professional body are and until recently, I thought nothing of it. It seemed like a harmless and indeed vaguely-good-in-a-way-that-didn’t affect-me, sort of thing.

The police attestation:

“I do solemnly and sincerely declare and affirm that I will well and truly serve the Queen in the office of constable, with fairness, integrity, diligence and impartiality, upholding fundamental human rights and according equal respect to all people; and that I will, to the best of my power, cause the peace to be kept and preserved and prevent all offences against people and property; and that while I continue to hold the said office I will to the best of my skill and knowledge discharge all the duties thereof faithfully according to law.”

www.polfed.org/media/14239/the-office-of-constable-with-links-2018.pdf

That same document says:

"Every Constable is an independent legal entity; the public’s guarantee of impartiality. Officers of the crown operate independent of undue influence, interference and with a personal responsibility which requires a unique type of person and commitment"

I read these things to say:

• you must understand and uphold the law
• you must operate your role with independence
• you must be committed to maintaining your understanding of the law, upholding it, and doing your job independently

I can't see where signing up to the aims of lobby groups who want to change the law is covered.

Give away money or paying for a service?

I wrote because I had seen a police vehicle which had lots of logos, Stonewall and Mermaids included, I wanted to ask about their impartiality. Not about funds but might be of interest. Here's the response

Thank you for your email which was passed to me by our Contact Management department as I co-chair our LGBT+ Resource Group.

We have one marked police vehicle which serves as our LGBT+ engagement car, although it is a frontline operational vehicle. It is a Ford Kuga SUV and is extremely distinctive with unique artwork on its wings and bonnet, but does have a Stonewall logo on the door. I would not describe it as a van however. I note you mentioned you saw the vehicle in the Havant area which is close to the Sussex border, so there could be a possibility it was a Sussex police vehicle you saw.

Nonetheless, the Stonewall logo is referencing our participation in recent years in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index. This is the UK’s main index to assess LGBT+ workplace inclusion and attracts over 400 entrants from the public, private and voluntary sectors, including a large number of emergency services and civil service departments.

Clearly Stonewall is a leading campaigner for LGBT+ inclusion and equality. Entry to the Workplace Equality Index is not an endorsement of any specific campaign. Police Regulations do not allow police officers to play an active part in politics and this is an issue that officers are very aware of. I note your comment regarding Stonewall terms overriding the law. Stonewall may campaign to have laws changed, e.g. Section 28 and equal ages of consent being notable examples but legislation is a matter for Parliament, Stonewall certainly doesn’t override it.

I hope I have been able to reassure you. Please feel free to get in touch via this email if I may be of further assistance.

On one hand we are supposed to try and be understanding and realise that all services are understaffed and over stretched and underfunded and then it turns out the spend thousands of pounds for the privilege of spending months doing paperwork for pats on the back and rainbow certificate.

This stonewall stuff sounds like the biggest con going. What exactly are you paying the thousands of pounds for if you are having to do all the work. Talk about getting a dog and barking yourself.

What could they possibly even need stonewall for. What actually do they even do

legislation is a matter for Parliament, Stonewall certainly doesn’t override it.

Yet Stonewall are misinforming public bodies and other organisations about the law, and arguably this has included the police.

@merrymouse

legislation is a matter for Parliament, Stonewall certainly doesn’t override it.

Yet Stonewall are misinforming public bodies and other organisations about the law, and arguably this has included the police.

This is exactly what needs to be understood. How widespread is the take up of a lobby group by the people who are supposed to police us and protect us "without fear or favour"?

Only seven of the 43 forces responded to the FOI. So what are the other 36 doing?

And what happens throughout the criminal justice system? For example there was this thread on the CPS:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3910534-Girls-legal-challenge-to-CPS

The CPS is also supposed to be impartial.

It's a good wheeze for Stonewall.
I can imagine it started with good intentions by the Police but giving up the subscription would/could be interpreted in a very negative way.
Has the Police improved their understanding of and interaction with the LGBT community, plus their own employees? In which case, it was probably worth it. But it does raise questions of impartiality when the law is misrepresented by the body providing training and accreditation.

Almost all branches of government are, and most corporations.

Which would be fine if they were still a genuinely LGBT campaigning organisation, committed to ensuring inclusion. Sadly these days, most of their work seems to be focused on eroding women's rights, in the name of the trans lobby. It's quite extraordinary that so much public money cascades into their coffers - we are literally paying for them to tell every imaginable organisation to erode our rights and erase us as a definable class of people. Half the population funding their own discrimination, and the removal of our sex-based rights under the Equality Act. Just breathtaking.

They have been busy, haven't they. How is this all going to be unpicked without affecting the rights of LGBT community. I know the law will exist as protection but it's the lives lived that bothers me.

Did you respond to explain highame?

There are a lot of charities signed up too.www.stonewall.org.uk/diversity-champions-members

@Lockdownseperation

Give away money or paying for a service?

What service? Providing incorrect advice about the equality act? Pushing a particular narrative?

FairCop are doing sterling work on this. Are you following them on Twitter, Op?

That response is so typically police pedantic 'well I wouldn't call it a van, it's a Ford Kuga'. Way to miss the point

Stonewall are lobbying to remove single sex spaces. They should not be providing training to any public bodies.

And you're quite right wellbehavedwoman - we are literally paying for our rights to be eroded.