Did civil servants DEFY Suella over Stonewall? Home Secretary orders staff to sever links to lobby group – before discovering weeks later Home Office is STILL signed up to its controversial diversity programme
- Home Secretary wanted links with group severed when she took office last year
- Suella Braverman is understood to be furious that Home Office is still signed up
Home Office staff have been accused of secretly defying Suella Braverman’s order to sever all links with Stonewall.
The Home Secretary told officials when she took office last year to end their long-running involvement with the inclusivity lobbying group.
Her edict followed moves from other Whitehall ministries which were concerned about value for money and Stonewall’s stance on gender ideology.
But the Mail has learnt just weeks ago Mrs Braverman discovered the Home Office was still signed up to Stonewall’s diversity champions programme, which charges workplaces thousands of pounds a year for advice on inclusivity.
She is believed to have been furious and demanded that officials immediately pull out of the scheme.
Home Office staff have been accused of secretly defying Suella Braverman’s (pictured) order to sever all links with Stonewall
The Home Secretary told officials when she took office last year to end their long-running involvement with the inclusivity lobbying group
A source close to the Home Secretary said: ‘Stonewall membership was brought to a stop earlier this year.
‘She (Mrs Braverman) recently learned a Stonewall diversity champions programme had continued without her knowledge and ordered the immediate cancellation of that as well.’
Figures previously published by ministers show that the Home Office paid Stonewall £15,000 for membership of diversity champions from 2017 to 2021.
A Stonewall spokesman said the Home Office had ‘taken steps to provide alternative methods of support’ for its LGBTQ+ workforce.
A Home Office spokesman said it reviews its ‘diversity and inclusion policies on an ongoing basis’.
It is understood membership ended last month, but there was a brief ‘trial review period’ which ended this week.
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