EHRC ‘witch-hunt’ suspended again as Kemi Badenoch steps in

[IwantToRetire]

A “witch-hunt” inquiry into the chairman of the equalities watchdog has been suspended for a second time following an intervention by Kemi Badenoch, The Telegraph can disclose.

Ms Badenoch, the Business Secretary and Equalities Minister, is understood to have written to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) following a revolt by board members over the handling of the inquiry by the body’s deputy chairmen.

She asked for the inquiry into dozens of <a class="break-all" href="https://archive.ph/o/HD6LB/www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/07/08/ehrc-baroness-falkner-investigation-hinders-watchdog/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">complaints from staff against its chair, Baroness (Kishwer) Falkner of Margravine, to be suspended again after board members wrote to the Government saying they had “lost patience with the way that we have been bypassed... in some crucial decisions” about the investigation.

Ms Badenoch is understood to have expressed concern that <a class="break-all" href="https://archive.ph/o/HD6LB/www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/07/18/ehrc-restarts-investigation-into-chair-baroness-falkner/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the decision to resume the inquiry was reported by Channel 4 last week, after a dossier of claims of “bullying” “harassment” and “discrimination” drawn up by a handful of EHRC civil servants, was handed to the same broadcaster in May.

Intro to longer article at https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2023/07/22/nquiry-equalities-chief-paused-kemi-badenoch-intervenes/ also available by pasting telegraph link in archive.ph

(At the time of the C4 News insinuating all sorts of things I did start another thread, and can only wonder do the people who give them the leaks really think it will help to spin the story, or is it a double bluff to get evenyone to think they are out to get Lady Falkner. https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4852244-c4-news-gunning-for-lady-faulkner-again )

Kemi, if you ever get chance to read this, thank you for your work. You have more support than you probably realise

Added to which, in what's seems to be a party given to quite aggressive / competitive behaviour towards each other, She seems able to stand up for herself - and her politics.

Not forgetting that the Equalities brief is just an "add on" to her main role https://www.politico.eu/article/trade-secretary-kemi-badenoch-future-uk-conservative-party-tory-ledership/ and leadership bid? https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12327477/As-said-appointed-campaign-manager-told-MPs-Im-one-Business-Secretary-Kemi-Badenoch-hoping-unite-Right-new-leadership-bid.html

Fantastic piece. She's not looking to please anyone, or any one faction.

Underestimate the formidable Badenoch at your peril.

Does she survive the GE? If she does, she is the future of the Tory party. Or does she become another "the best leader the Tories never chose" footnote in politics history?

Apparently Saffron Walden is a safe conservative seat, but I suspect the old boy network of MPs wont want her to be their PM, and if the vote goes to the members, they would seem to be even less likely to want a woman from a BME community.

And would she stick it out is only Leader while in opposition?

Well, there's always Keegan or Mordaunt...

This is the DM version of the story. Much the same as the Telegraph. But has this:

The latest development was welcomed by some campaigners. Debbie Hayton, a transgender woman who speaks out against gender ideology, said: 'Kemi Badenoch is right to intervene in this appalling treatment of the EHRC chair. The scientific enlightenment came and went, but people are exactly the same. Witch-hunts or inquiries ... the language might be new but the abuse of women is not.'

Ian Acheson, a former chief operating officer of the quango, said: 'It's sad to see the EHRC become ungovernable, particularly for those of us who worked so hard to restore the organisation's credibility and put its focus on delivery, defending the rights of ordinary people, ahead of destructive internal activism.'

One ally of the baroness said: 'This was a witch-hunt from the very beginning. They have made Kishwer into this evil figure.

'She does have complaints against her which need to be addressed but I don't understand why it can't be done by mediation or some sort of internal process which doesn't get lawyers involved.'

The dossier against Lady Falkner cites allegations of transphobia and harassment.
It is feared she has been targeted because she opposed Scotland's transgender self-ID reform, and backed rewriting equality law on the basis of biological sex rather than gender identity – which would bar transgender women from female-only spaces.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12329551/Kemi-Badenoch-steps-probe-equality-chief-Baroness-Falkner-halted-fears-correct-processes-not-followed-Equality-Human-Rights-Commission.html

I think you could be right. Because the Conservative party has always shown itself to be highly resistant to electing women or members of minority groups to the position of PM unlike the Labour Party which has elected....oh wait!

unlike the Labour Party which has elected....oh wait!

Agreed that on paper the Tories have done better, but too often it seems to happen when all other options have failed and is done so reluctantly.

But absolutely Labour on this (and other) issues it just hopeless.

On paper they've done better

Say what now? There was nothing reluctant about electing Disraeli or Thatcher. Thatcher competed against 5 white men. And for May, Truss and Sunak there were white men alternatives. But they chose them in preference.
It's seems the most open of all the parties, unlike electing not just a white man over 2 women, one of whom was biracial, but a knight to boot.

There are many things, many many things!, you can criticise the Tory party for but it's a stretch to say the old boy network wouldn't let her be elected. She got chosen for Saffron Walden. If they think she can win an election, they'll absolutely choose her.

There is a big difference between how the tory members vote and how MPs vote.

Wasn't it members who elected Liz Truss?

And suspect that Tories MPs would quite like to see Badenoch standing up to Starmer.