Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative Party leader, is set to announce plans to scrap the public sector equality duty (PSED) in a speech on Tuesday, aiming to counter the electoral threat from Reform UK. The PSED, a legal requirement under the Equality Act 2010, obliges public bodies to consider how they can promote equality in their operations.
Badenoch, who served as minister for equalities from 2020 to 2022, argues that the duty is being used to advance 'dangerous and divisive agendas' within institutions such as the police and the Bank of England. The Conservatives cite examples including the Bank's decision to replace historical figures on banknotes with animals, a move the Bank says was driven by public consultation.
The move is part of Badenoch's broader campaign against 'identity politics', positioning the Tories between Labour, which she accuses of wanting more 'DEI bureaucracy', and Reform, which has pledged to scrap the Equality Act entirely. Shadow equalities minister Claire Coutinho said: 'We need to take identity politics out of public life and bring back common sense, fairness and equality before the law.'
Critics warn that scrapping the PSED could have significant consequences for protections related to race, disability, religion, and pregnancy. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) stated that the PSED helps public bodies design better services and is not a barrier to their core functions. The EHRC's new chair has argued that evidence largely shows a positive impact on equality practice.
Badenoch's announcement follows the murder of 18-year-old student Henry Nowak in Southampton, after which she blamed police actions on identity politics, linking it to the Black Lives Matter movement. The Tories contrast their approach with Reform's pledge to scrap the Equality Act, which they claim would 'open the floodgates to more DEI'.
