Business Dept reviewing Stonewall Scheme but No. 10 worries

[highame]

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/business-department-reviews-links-stonewall-diversity-scheme-wwnc6jxx3 can never get the links to work
No. 10 worried because it doesn't want to look bad to the LGBT community, but it's ok to look bad to women? - our bloody vote counts

The review, led by Lord Callanan, the business minister, is focusing on whether the programme provides value for money. It will reconsider both the participation of the department and that of dozens of quangos it oversees, including the Competition and Markets Authority and HM Land Registry. The department renewed its membership of the Stonewall scheme in November.

Archived link:

archive.ph/inX7M

Last month Nancy Kelley, Stonewall’s chief executive, likened “gender-critical” beliefs to antisemitism. I love the fact that Nancy Kelley's remark is still getting traction, so it must have hit a lot of nerves outside of us GC's

Thanks Rogdmum

Surely they can simply do as other orgs have done and bring there diversity and equality in house, in line with law, and supporting all protected characteristics?

DM also covering it. The more sunlight the better.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9732239/Now-business-department-begins-review-Stonewalls-dubious-diversity-training-scheme.html

As you say, no consideration of the misogynistic message it broadcasts to women.

Some figures in No 10 are arguing against any collective move to cut ties with Stonewall. Henry Newman, a senior adviser to Boris Johnson and ally of his wife, Carrie, has raised concerns internally about the message it would send to the LGBT community.

The reason is quite simple.

Demographics mean that at some point the Tories will need to get back some of the younger, more educated voters they currently diss as "woke" "Remainer" etc. They don't want to ditch Stonewall because they think that their own current voter base of mostly male older Leave voters don't care much about the issue and it will benefit them in a few years time to say "we've always stood up for trans rights."

People who think the Conservatives are somehow on the side of "women's rights" when Labour and LibDems are not are being naive. None of the political parties are on women's side.

The Government should be more worried about the coming backlash from misusing tax payer cash to fund a political lobbying group that misrepresents the law, especially when the Government start asking the public for money to help pay down the costs of the pandemic.

A departmental spokeswoman said: “We support inclusive workplaces and keep our membership of all external schemes under review.”

Why does any competent organisation need SW membership to be able to support inclusive workplaces / comply with the law?

Seems a lot of cash to throw at virtue signalling and rainbows.

Maybe Henry Newman should actually speak to some members of the LBG community? A chat with Allison Bailey might be a good place to start.

@Ekofisk

A departmental spokeswoman said: “We support inclusive workplaces and keep our membership of all external schemes under review.”

Why does any competent organisation need SW membership to be able to support inclusive workplaces / comply with the law?

Seems a lot of cash to throw at virtue signalling and rainbows.

This is what flummoxes me, Government departments should be well aware of the law and how not to discriminate. Why the need for a big song and dance and flaunting of rainbows? There isn't it's just expensive and hollow virtue signalling, just get on with being decent and reasonable employers to ALL your employees and uphold the Equality Act which a government department shouldn't need any fucking help to do.

Well said RedDogs - it mirrors what many NHS staff say about wearing rainbow badges/lanyards: it's a bit worrying if these symbols are needed to somehow 'prove' that people get treated with respect. Being treated with respect and within the guidelines of The Equality Act and all other laws should be a given!

Maybe Henry Newman should actually speak to some members of the LBG community?

Newman is gay.

Antisemitism is a very serious charge to throw at someone. Using it so frivolously is deeply insulting to a lot of people.

@Abhannmor

Antisemitism is a very serious charge to throw at someone. Using it so frivolously is deeply insulting to a lot of people.

It certainly is. The JC were not impressed: www.thejc.com/news/uk/anger-grows-over-stonewall-boss-antisemitism-comment-1.517532

So many fling around the term anti-Semitism as though it means something not very nice. I wonder if she will apologise, I doubt it, she's on the right side of history

One leading antisemitism organisation warned Stonewall was “in the grip of fundamentalism” while an academic branded the furore a “new low” for Stonewall

@Bollockstothat

Maybe Henry Newman should actually speak to some members of the LBG community?

Newman is gay.

Perhaps it would be helpful to consult and deliberately cultivate a range of LGB perspectives?

Perhaps it would be helpful to consult and deliberately cultivate a range of LGB perspectives?

I agree, but I doubt anyone interested in pluralism or open-minded approaches to problems, or evidence-based policymaking, would be working in Johnson's No 10.

I doubt anyone interested in pluralism or open-minded approaches to problems, or evidence-based policymaking, would be working in Johnson's No 10.

I agree.

I will never failed to be disturbed by what this says about general understanding of Nolan principles and the lack of concern for conducting full equality impact assessments and the absence of any indication that the advisers and policymakers are aware there are voiceless, invisible parties who may well be harmed by such lack of propriety and due diligence.

Absolutely. But then Johnson probably thinks Nolan principles are the criteria by which you ranked the shagability of the Nolan sisters in the 1970s.

@Bollockstothat

Absolutely. But then Johnson probably thinks Nolan principles are the criteria by which you ranked the shagability of the Nolan sisters in the 1970s.

I can't get over the fact that I have to fill out a DOI and/or COI for every single meeting that I attend as well as review and reaffirm my commitment to Nolan practically every other month (different committees), and attest to my understanding of EIA and EA 2010 in addition to potential equalities issues - and yet influential people in govt. and No. 10 and their unelected meddlers advisers are blithely ignoring these considerations and being concerned with optics and their own futures.

Mind you, if they do get out of the SW scheme, the other parties will be all over it like a rash. Look at how they misinterpreted the break up of the LGBT panel advising government, that was used as a 'this lot are transphobic' when it was the end of the group anyway. Sorry, not worded well but I think the scales have to tip a little further in our direction and I think Labour will have to start looking at their lack of interest in women's rights.

I do think though that lots of other departments will be ditching

@highame

Last month Nancy Kelley, Stonewall’s chief executive, likened “gender-critical” beliefs to antisemitism. I love the fact that Nancy Kelley's remark is still getting traction, so it must have hit a lot of nerves outside of us GC's

Thanks Rogdmum

🙄 Seriously

Was Henry Newman the one that was supposed to be fired but was saved by being Carrie’s friend? I feel I may have combined two stories there.

@TheHandmadeTails

Was Henry Newman the one that was supposed to be fired but was saved by being Carrie’s friend? I feel I may have combined two stories there.

No that’s him

www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/henry-newman-dominic-cummings-wattsapp-leak-b931477.html

<a class="break-all" href="https://archive.is/2021.06.25-234101/www.thetimes.co.uk/article/avon-and-somerset-police-paid-stonewall-thousands-learning-to-be-lgbt-ally-zdqnnvmdn" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">archive.is/2021.06.25-234101/www.thetimes.co.uk/article/avon-and-somerset-police-paid-stonewall-thousands-learning-to-be-lgbt-ally-zdqnnvmdn

Avon and Somerset police have paid thousands to be part of Stonewall's diversity champion scheme- some of us lobbied the candidates for PCC (policy and Crime Comissioner) in recent elections for their stance on recording sex/ or gender id for hate crimes and are awaiting an answer. Did anyone else lobby the PCC electoral candidates?