Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester Mayor and Labour leadership contender, has overseen more than £100,000 in taxpayer funding to a charity that supports access to puberty blockers for transgender children, official documents reveal. The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) authorised £112,000 for the LGBT Foundation to deliver “non-binary inclusion” training and equality programmes, with overall spending on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives reaching £179,827.
The funding, unearthed via a Freedom of Information request, includes over £50,000 annually for the charity to run the LGBTQ+ Equality Panel, which aims to “tackle inequality and promote inclusion”. The panel’s annual report shows part of the money funds “trans and non-binary awareness” sessions for public sector staff, encouraging inclusive language and service revision based on self-identified gender rather than biological sex.
In July 2024, the LGBT Foundation criticised the Supreme Court’s decision to ban private prescriptions of puberty blockers for under-18s, stating it was “deeply disappointed” and urging support for trans and non-binary people. Burnham also approved a £68,000 taxpayer grant for Manchester Pride, the region’s annual LGBT+ festival.
The spending has drawn criticism from campaigners. Nick Buckley, founder of homelessness charity The Mancunian Way, accused Burnham of using the role to strengthen his Labour leadership bid by funding “far-Left and woke progressive pet projects” while avoiding involvement in culture wars. A GMCA spokesperson defended the panels, saying they provide advice to tackle inequalities, and noted funding decisions are taken collectively by all 11 GMCA members, not reserved to the mayor.
