'Christian Institute' launches legal bid to ban civil service Pride participation and rainbow lanyards
– 2 min read
A 'Christian charity' has launched a legal bid to prohibit civil servants from wearing rainbow lanyards, participating in Pride events, and including preferred pronouns in official email signatures, arguing that such practices breach the Civil Service Code of impartiality.
The 'Christian Institute', a Newcastle-based organisation with over 60,000 supporters, has written to Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald, warning it will seek a judicial review unless these practices are halted. The group contends that public servants should not be seen to endorse what it describes as “highly controversial political issues”.
Jess O’Thomson, of the Good Law Project, said: “We are seeing a concerted effort to roll back LGBTQ+ rights in this country. If these efforts succeed they will take us back decades. It's nothing less than a fundamental attack on inclusion, freedom of speech, and democracy. We must not accept it.”
The legal action follows a recent High Court ruling that found Northumbria Police had breached impartiality rules by allowing uniformed officers to march in Newcastle Pride 2024. The judge ruled that their participation, while in uniform and under Pride banners, amounted to an endorsement of the event’s political aims.
We are seeing a concerted effort to roll back LGBTQ+ rights in this country.
The 'Christian Institute' is using the same legal team that secured that ruling and argues that similar principles apply to civil servants. The group claims that Pride symbols and pronoun declarations are not neutral expressions of identity but are instead aligned with a “hard-line gender ideology” that is politically charged.
A government spokesperson responded: “The Civil Service is committed to an inclusive environment for all staff, boosting productivity and opening up opportunities across the country”.
If successful, the legal challenge could result in a formal ban on rainbow lanyards and pronouns in official communications, and prevent civil servants from attending Pride events in any official capacity. The Cabinet Office is reportedly reviewing the legal threat but has not yet issued a formal response.
