The Department of Health and Social Care has joined the host of organisations to leave Stonewall’s controversial ‘Diversity Champions’ scheme.
The LGBT lobby group has come under fire in recent months for its hardline stance on promoting radical gender ideology and has faced accusations that it has given misleading advice to various institutions in shaping key policies.
Last month, BBC journalists Stephen Nolan and David Thompson revealed the widespread influence Stonewall has been able to exert on UK public institutions.
Promoting LGBT ideology
The scheme, which costs organisations a minimum yearly membership of £2,500 plus VAT, rewards employers for promoting LGBT ideology inside and outside of the workplace.
Those that comply with the lobby group’s advice, by implementing its radical policies, are able to improve their position in Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index – an annual ranking of the top 100 LGBT ‘inclusive’ workplaces.
But in recent months organisations including the Crown Prosecution Service, Ofcom, and the Equality and Human Rights Commission – and now the Department of Health (DoH) has deserted the scheme.
A DoH spokeswoman said: “Last year we conducted a full assessment of all our diversity and inclusion memberships and Stonewall was one of those we decided to not renew.”
Sex offenders
The move follows controversy surrounding the use of gender-neutral terms and Stonewall’s insistence that men who say they are women should be permitted to stay on female-only hospital wards.
When it was revealed that guidance from several NHS trusts states that male sex offenders who identify as female can be placed alongside women, Health Secretary Sajid Javid stepped in, promising to review current policies.
It was also revealed this week that the Department for Transport “has no plans currently” to renew its Stonewall membership, which ended last year.
The department spent more than £44,000 in membership fees, training and networking events over a five year period. It was one of the highest spenders among 14 government departments which paid Stonewall a combined £301,623 during that time.