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# Campaigners disappointed as Government rejects Section 28 public inquiry
- URL: https://www.scenemag.co.uk/campaigners-disappointed-as-government-rejects-section-28-public-inquiry/
- Published: 2026-08-21T08:41:04.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-21T08:41:04.000Z
- Author: Graham Robson
- Tags: News

Campaigners seeking a public inquiry into the impact of **Section 28** have expressed disappointment after the Government ruled out launching an investigation into the controversial legislation.

The **Section 28 Justice Coalition**, which was founded earlier this year to campaign for recognition of the law's lasting impact on LGBTQ+ communities, said the Government's response failed to address the central aims of its petition, which has attracted more than 26,000 signatures.

The coalition's petition called for a public inquiry into Section 28, the law introduced by **Margaret Thatcher**'s Conservative government in 1988 that prohibited local authorities from "promoting homosexuality". The legislation was repealed in Scotland in 2000 and in England and Wales in 2003.

In a response published on 18 August, the Government said it did not believe a public inquiry was "the right approach", while acknowledging the "significant impact" the legislation had on those who lived through it.

[Dear Section 28Collecting letters to Section 28, the law that banned the promotion of homosexuality in schools for fifteen years.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Section 28 Justice Coalition![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/thumbnail/image-9a5962e9-0497-42f8-ad02-80d8138b5756)](http://section28justice.co.uk/?ref=scenemag.co.uk)

The response stated: "We do not believe that establishing a public inquiry into the impact of Section 28 is the right approach, but we do recognise the significant impact it has had on those who lived through it, including following its repeal."

The Government argued that public inquiries are generally used to establish facts about what happened and why, adding that the origins and motivations behind Section 28 were already on the public record.

However, the coalition said the response overlooked the experiences of those affected by the legislation and the need to learn lessons from its legacy.

**Stevie Jones** and **Sarah Elizabeth Drummond**, co-chairs and founders of the Section 28 Justice Coalition, said: "This is a disappointing response. The Government has focussed on progress on LGBTQ+ rights generally, such as equal marriage, rather than responding to the core aim of the petition – for proper recognition of the harms of Section 28 and stopping the rise of LGBTQ+ censorship.

[Dear Section 28Collecting letters to Section 28, the law that banned the promotion of homosexuality in schools for fifteen years.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Section 28 Justice Coalition![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/thumbnail/image-b1b69611-2bb3-4c08-92f5-9465d3258eff)](http://section28justice.co.uk/?ref=scenemag.co.uk)

"We have always been clear that a public inquiry is a mechanism to achieve justice for all those who lived through Section 28, by independently investigating the impact and hearing their testimonies."

The campaigners said an inquiry would not simply examine why the law was introduced, but would allow people affected by it to place their experiences on the public record and recommend measures to prevent future LGBTQ+ censorship.

While continuing to argue that a public inquiry remains the most appropriate route, the coalition said it was open to alternative approaches if they could deliver an official apology, hear survivor testimonies and establish safeguards against future discrimination.

"We are open to other routes and are open to discussion," Jones and Drummond said. "We hope that the Government will respect the strength of feeling demonstrated by the over 26,000 people who have signed the petition and meet with us."

The coalition also criticised the Government's response for failing to acknowledge what it described as the long-term effects of the legislation after its repeal, arguing that schools did not automatically become LGBTQ+ inclusive once Section 28 was removed from the statute book.

[Dear Section 28Collecting letters to Section 28, the law that banned the promotion of homosexuality in schools for fifteen years.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Section 28 Justice Coalition![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/thumbnail/image-f908ac5c-8d9e-4810-839e-c02ed859b829)](http://section28justice.co.uk/?ref=scenemag.co.uk)

Campaigners further argued that there has never been a comprehensive review of the law's impact on LGBTQ+ people, educators and local authority workers who lived and worked under the legislation.

The Section 28 Justice Coalition launched in February 2026 and has been collecting personal testimonies through its "Dear Section 28" project, which aims to document the experiences of those affected by the law. The group is also supporting the development of a feature-length documentary, *Don't Say Gay*, exploring the history and legacy of Section 28.

Despite the Government's decision not to establish an inquiry, the coalition said it would continue lobbying politicians, gathering evidence and campaigning for a formal apology and greater recognition of the legislation's lasting impact.

The [petition remains open](http://section28justice.co.uk/?ref=scenemag.co.uk) until 24 September 2026, with campaigners urging supporters to continue signing and sharing it.