A Christian charity has launched legal action against Sir Keir Starmer in a bid to stop Civil Service officials taking part in Pride marches.
Lawyers for The Christian Institute have lodged High Court papers commencing a legal challenge against the Prime Minister, as Minister for the Civil Service, over “taxpayer-funded participation” in LGBTQ+ Pride events.
The charity says the “current practice of officially endorsing and funding participation during work time” while sporting “civil service pride” T-shirts and banners “breaches the law on civil service impartiality”.
Its legal action will potentially affect civil servants in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Simon Calvert, Deputy Director of The Christian Institute, said: “The law is clear that civil servants must maintain impartiality on controversial political issues.
“Whether one agrees with it or not, no one can deny that the LGBTQ+ Pride movement and its hard-line gender ideology are profoundly political.
“Pride London, the one attended by Whitehall-based civil servants, even banned political parties because they don’t support their political demands, which include puberty blockers and gender self-ID.
“These are positions which the taxpayers who fund the Civil Service increasingly reject.
The Christian Institute has argued Civil Service officials’ involvement in Pride events ‘breaches the law on civil service impartiality’
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CIVIL SERVICE LGBT+ NETWORK
“Despite Pride being so politicised, the social media feeds of Government departments still feature images celebrating their participation in the movement.”
The legal action by The Christian Institute follows a High Court win against Northumbria Police by Linzi Smith, a gender-critical activist.
The 34-year-old claimed the force’s “uniformed participation” in a Newcastle Pride parade last year broke the professional oath sworn by each police officer to act “with impartiality” at work.
While at the march, police were seen marching with a “Police Pride” flag, Pride colours, Unison trade union banners and more.
Linzi Smith won a High Court against Northumberland Police over a failure ‘to act impartially’ | LINZI SMITH
The Christian charity is using the same team of lawyers that won Ms Smith’s case in its own legal challenge.
Mr Calvert added: “As Linzi Smith’s successful judicial review of Northumbria Police showed, involvement in Pride signals support for a highly contentious set of political demands. It is inappropriate for civil servants to be officially endorsing Pride.
“I have been working in public policy for decades. I’ve been shocked by how many civil servants wear Pride lanyards in our meetings with them, even when those meetings are specifically about conflicts with that ideology.
“Sitting in front of a phalanx of civil servants in rainbow lanyards gives the impression that their minds are closed on the issues we are discussing.
The charity has commenced legal action against the PM as Minister for the Civil Service | REUTERS
“It certainly does not communicate the kind of neutrality that taxpayers expect of civil servants.”
A Government spokesman said: “Our full focus is on delivering for working people – raising their living standards, reducing hospital waiting lists, putting more neighbourhood bobbies on the beat, and growing our economy.
“To deliver that vital work we provide an inclusive environment for all staff, boosting productivity and opening up opportunities across the country.”
GB News has contacted the Civil Service for comment.