Equality & Human Rights Commission accused of bias over links to gender-critical lobby groups
– 2 min read
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is under scrutiny after over 100 pages of internal emails revealed extensive contact with gender-critical lobbying groups, raising concerns about its impartiality.
The emails, obtained by the Trans Advocacy and Complaints Collective (TACC) via a freedom of information request, show that senior EHRC figures, including Chair Baroness Kishwer Falkner and the CEO, held private meetings with representatives from Sex Matters and Transgender Trend. These groups advocate for policies that critics say undermine trans rights.
Correspondence shows Sex Matters was granted priority access, receiving personal replies from EHRC leadership and invitations to closed-door meetings. In several instances, the group’s policy suggestions were incorporated directly into EHRC guidance, bypassing standard public consultation processes.
TACC claims this preferential treatment amounts to institutional bias. One email from June 2024 reveals EHRC officials sought to keep a meeting with Sex Matters confidential to avoid political scrutiny during the pre-election period. The official wrote:
“Our subjects of discussion are potentially politically sensitive… would you be content for this to be a fully private meeting, with no material or information published or shared?”
Sex Matters was also allowed to submit extended responses to a consultation on the EHRC’s code of practice, despite a strict 250-word limit for other contributors. Transgender Trend, which campaigns against trans inclusion in schools and public life, was frequently included in joint submissions and appears to have been treated as part of a unified stakeholder bloc.
TACC argues that the EHRC’s actions compromise its role as a neutral regulator.
In a statement, the group said:
“This isn’t just about emails. It’s about a public body entrusted with safeguarding the rights of all of us… allowing itself to be steered by one political faction, behind closed doors.”
Campaigners are now calling for an independent investigation and reforms to restore public trust in the EHRC’s independence and commitment to equality.
