Stonewall wins change to Crime & Policing Bill on LGBTQ+ hate crime

LGBTQ+ rights charity Stonewall has secured a significant victory after Parliament agreed to amend the Crime & Policing Bill to ensure anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime is treated as an aggravated offence.

The amendment, which equalises the prosecution of hate crime, was approved by the House of Commons following earlier backing from the House of Lords, which voted the change through in March. Once enacted, the legislation will place hate crime motivated by hostility towards sexual orientation or gender identity on the same legal footing as racially or religiously aggravated offences.

Stonewall said the change represents a major step forward in securing equal access to justice for LGBTQ+ people.

Simon Blake, chief executive of Stonewall, welcomed the decision, describing it as “a moment of progress on the journey to LGBTQ+ equality”.

“Today we are celebrating a moment of progress - the Crime & Policing Bill has been amended to make anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime an aggravated offence,” he said.

“Putting hate crime against LGBTQ+ people on the same footing as religious and racial hate crime has always been the right thing to do.”

Blake added that the move comes against a backdrop of growing hostility towards LGBTQ+ communities globally.

“The LGBTQ+ community is facing turbulent times. Rights are being rolled back across the world and the climate feels increasingly hostile,” he said. “This change in law will send a powerful message that LGBTQ+ people deserve equal access to justice and will be a much-needed step in the right direction.”

He also paid tribute to campaigners who pushed for the reform. “Effective advocacy matters now more than ever. Stonewall, and others, have campaigned tirelessly for this change. I am proud to see it one step closer to becoming a reality and look forward to it being written into law.”=

The aggravated offence provisions can no longer be removed from the Bill at this stage of the parliamentary process. Parliament must now resolve disagreements on other elements of the legislation before it receives Royal Assent. Once that happens, the changes will come into force.

Stonewall has campaigned for the reform for several years, most recently through its Hold My Hand campaign. The organisation said the amendment will provide vital reassurance at a time when many LGBTQ+ people are concerned about their future rights.

“This vital change in the law will deliver much-needed equality in hate crime legislation,” Stonewall said.