Every year, around this time, somebody asks whether Pride is still necessary. It is a question that usually comes from one of two places. Sometimes it is asked in good faith by people who look around them and see same-sex marriage, openly LGBTQ+ public figures, rainbow lanyards in workplaces, and Pride flags flying above civic… Continue reading Pride matters more than ever
Tag: diversity
Kemi Badenoch is wrong about the Public Sector Equality Duty
There are many legitimate debates to be had about how government works. How much regulation is too much? How should public services balance competing demands? When does process become bureaucracy? These are all fair questions. What is not a serious contribution to that debate is Kemi Badenoch’s latest attack on the Public Sector Equality Duty… Continue reading Kemi Badenoch is wrong about the Public Sector Equality Duty
Fear, Fracture, and the Future of Britain
There are moments in politics when an election result is more than an electoral event. It becomes a warning light. This week’s local election results across England, alongside contests in Scotland and Wales, feel like one of those moments. Not because voters should somehow be criticised for expressing frustration. Democracy means precisely that citizens are… Continue reading Fear, Fracture, and the Future of Britain
British basketball’s future requires reform and major investment in the women’s game
Last night I was courtside to see the Great Britain women’s basketball team victorious over Austria in a Women’s EuroBasket 2027 qualifying match. The GB players were full of talent and enthusiasm and the atmosphere in the arena was fantastic. Hundreds of fans, including large numbers of young girls, many of whom were clearly basketball… Continue reading British basketball’s future requires reform and major investment in the women’s game
Trans inclusion: what the law says and what it does not say
There is currently a great deal of noise, heat, and misinformation about what the law requires when it comes to trans inclusion in single-sex services and organisations. Much of it is being driven by a highly organised and aggressive campaign by Sex Matters, which has taken to threatening legal action against a wide range of… Continue reading Trans inclusion: what the law says and what it does not say
Doctrine or Discrimination? Why the Church of England’s Advice misses the heart of the Gospel
In the last week the Church of England has published four substantial papers intended to provide theological, legal, and doctrinal clarity on matters arising from the Living in Love and Faith (LLF) process. They cover everything from the nature of doctrine itself (GS Misc 1429), to the doctrine of marriage and the Prayers of Love… Continue reading Doctrine or Discrimination? Why the Church of England’s Advice misses the heart of the Gospel
Brown Shirts around the corner? Why we must confront Britain’s slide to the Far Right
Yesterday’s scenes in London — tens of thousands rallying behind Tommy Robinson, violent clashes with police, and chants straight from the darkest pages of European history — were not an aberration. They were a symptom of something far more dangerous: a political culture that has normalised far-right populism and is increasingly dancing to its tune.… Continue reading Brown Shirts around the corner? Why we must confront Britain’s slide to the Far Right
Trans youth are loved
In the summer of 2024, in the face of open hostility towards trans people and especially trans young people, in the media, social media, and in political life, the Trans Solidarity Alliance invited celebrities, politicians, and the general public to record short videos telling trans young people that they are loved. Here is mine.
Pride in the City 2023
I had the privilege of hosting the reception at Guildhall following the Pride flag raising in June 2023. Here is the speech I gave welcoming the over 200 guests that evening.
The Oxford Union: The Commercialisation of Pride has Done More Harm Than Good
On 1 June 2023, I was invited to speak at The Oxford Union, supporting the motion “This House believes that commercialisation of Pride has done more harm than good”. It also gave me the opportunity to comment robustly on the Union’s decision to platform gender critical academic Kathleen Stock who espoused her transphobic views without… Continue reading The Oxford Union: The Commercialisation of Pride has Done More Harm Than Good
