MLA slams NI Civil Service: ‘This is not inclusion. This is institutional activism.’

An MLA has criticised Northern Ireland’s Civil Service for showing political partiality by participating in Belfast Pride.

The organisation was involved despite a freedom of information (FoI) request revealing that its head, Jayne Brady, was advised it would be seen as a political act. MLA Timothy Gaston said ‘Pride’ is “not a neutral celebration”, and wrote to Brady the day before the Pride march expressing his concerns.

Event organisers excluded politicians who supported a ban on puberty blockers for under-18s from attending the parade.

Deep unease

Gaston said: “I must convey the deep unease this has caused among many Christian civil servants and others who do not share the ideological outlook of Pride.”

He added: “Their concerns are not rooted in prejudice, but in a principled belief that the civil service, as a publicly funded and supposedly apolitical body, should not be endorsing what is an overtly political and highly divisive campaign.”

The TUV MLA for North Antrim stated: “When the civil service appears to publicly align itself with such a movement, it sends a clear and troubling message: that one worldview is officially sanctioned, and others are to be marginalised or silenced”.

the civil service, as a publicly funded and supposedly apolitical body, should not be endorsing what is an overtly political and highly divisive campaign

“This is not inclusion. This is institutional activism.”

Political act

Ann McClure, the party’s equality spokeswoman who submitted the FoI, noted that the service was “fully aware of the political sensitivities” and yet “pressed ahead regardless”.

The DUP said that the decision to participate in the parade was “a decision for the head of the NI Civil Service, not ministers”.

Its spokesperson added: “Public sector organisations should not be involved in political campaigns”.

CI legal action

The Christian Institute has warned the Civil Service at Whitehall that endorsing LGBT Pride at Whitehall breaches rules on impartiality and is preparing a legal challenge.

Earlier this month, the Institute notified Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald of its intention to seek judicial review of Civil Service participation in Pride events. It also called for an end to ‘rainbow’ lanyards and the use of ‘preferred pronouns’ in public-facing email signatures.

The legal action follows a recent High Court ruling against Northumbria Police, which said participation in Pride marches breached the force’s impartiality duties. In taking on the Civil Service, the CI has instructed Conrathe Gardner Solicitors – the same law firm that helped gender critic Linzi Smith in her victory over Northumbria Police.