NI Civil Service imposes staff ‘Pride’ parade ban

The Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) has halted its participation in LGBT ‘Pride’.

Head Jayne Brady told staff that “in the current legal and case law context, the NICS is not in a position to participate in Pride events this year in an official capacity, where colleagues would be identifiable as representing the organisation”.

However, she added, the decision did not reflect any wider change in NICS “commitment to LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion”.

‘Ideological causes’

The Christian Institute’s James Kennedy said: “It is a simple fact that Pride parades are political events. From waving flags for controversial new policies to welcoming or banning political parties based on their stances, everything about them shouts ‘politics’. Their proponents call them protests and they give a platform to outlandish ideologies and identities. There is nothing neutral about them.

“In that light, it is not surprising that Northern Ireland’s Civil Service has told its staff to put away their specially printed ‘NICS at Pride’ t-shirts this year. What is outrageous is how the supposedly ‘impartial’ Civil Service has continued to support Pride for so many years.

“Last year’s Pride event campaigned for puberty-blocking drugs to be given to teenagers, amidst financial support from the PSNI, Translink and NICS. At least this year, we know a little less of our public money will be thrown at these ideological causes.”

DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley told the Belfast News Letter: “The Civil Service exists to serve everyone in Northern Ireland, regardless of their background. Its role is not to align itself with overtly political events or campaigning causes such as ‘Pride’, but to deliver public services in an impartial and professional manner.”

Legal action

The Institute is currently pursuing a legal action to challenge the decision of the Civil Service in Great Britain to ‘permit and/or authorise’ the participation of civil servants in Pride marches under the banner of the Civil Service.

Under the Civil Service Code, all employees are expected to carry out their roles with “integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality”. They must also “ensure individual personal and political views do not, and are not perceived to, influence our advice or actions”.

Deputy Director Simon Calvert explained: “The law is clear that civil servants must maintain impartiality on controversial political issues.”

The legal threat followed a High Court ruling that Northumbria Police’s participation in Pride marches breached its impartiality duties.

To challenge Civil Service practice, the CI has instructed Conrathe Gardner Solicitors and Tom Cross KC – the same legal team that led the case against Northumbria Police.