Group sings at London Marathon in wake of Scope trans-debacle

Disability charity Scope has come under fire for dropping a community choir from its London Marathon ‘cheer team’ due to its creator’s gender-critical views.

Leading up to the event, The Singing Striders — set up by journalist and women’s rights campaigner Janet Murray — received notice that its services were no longer required as its founder’s views were in conflict with Scope’s “commitment to diversity and inclusion”.

Although the invitation was restored at the last minute, Murray decided not to accept the offer; instead she pulled a group together and made separate arrangements to perform at the race.

Damage

Murray explained: “On Saturday evening I got a personal email from the Scope CEO that said: ‘Following reflection, we would like to restore our invitation to the choir to sing at the marathon tomorrow.’”

“By this point”, she said, “I’d had to tell the choir they had been excluded over MY lawful views. The damage had already been done – to all of us.”

Scope said it made the original decision to cancel the choir after ‘concerns’ were raised about Murray’s views on ‘inclusion’.

The charity stated: “At Scope, we are committed to the equality and inclusion of trans and non-binary disabled people. We have trans and non-binary colleagues, volunteers and supporters.”

After it restored the invitation it announced: “for some of our valued members, supporters and colleagues, gender-critical beliefs may be deeply upsetting and alienating”. Scope offered to “provide additional support through our supporter care team” for those affected by its U-turn.

Protected beliefs

Commenting on the debacle, the Free Speech Union, which supported the choir, said: “Murray, a journalist who has written extensively about trans issues, says she has never brought her views into her hobby, the choir.

“While she welcomed the change in position, she has also spoken about the distress and uncertainty caused by Scope’s actions.

“Gender-critical beliefs are lawful and protected under the Equality Act 2010. Despite this, those penalised and censored for holding and expressing such views remain the largest single category of cases at the Free Speech Union.

“In the end, Murray and a few others went ahead and did their own thing without Scope.”