Letter to the Prime Minister – Ban Stonewall from schools

In the last week internecine strife has broken out between leading LGBT groups, including Stonewall and Mermaids, and the newly formed LGB Alliance, which opposes Stonewall’s militant support for transgenderism.  Stonewall has apparently reacted with such fury to criticism that lesbian barrister Alison Bailey, founder of the Alliance, is bringing a legal action against them for trying to silence her.   In a report in The Times she fumed, ‘new trans activism (operates) a crude but effective system of punishment and reward: agree with every demand of the trans lobby and be safe; object and face vilification, abuse, boycott, character assassination and cancellation’  (https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/stonewall-fails-to-stop-lesbian-suing-in-trans-row-qr9b7vpdp).

Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings!  Stonewall’s tactics, evident to the greater part of society since they began campaigning back in the ’90s, now stand revealed by one of their former members.

Charity law states unequivocally that  a ‘political purpose’ cannot be a charitable purpose’ (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-makes-a-charity-cc4/what-makes-a-charity-cc4#annex-b%C2%A0). Yet, despite masquerading as a charity, Stonewall’s overt aim has always been to bring about political and social change (https://www.stonewall.org.uk/what-we-stand-for), and to achieve their ends, to paraphrase the words of Ms Bailey, they have attempted to intimidate into silence all who dare disagree.  Even so, it is Stonewall’s RSE resources that are now being recommended for use in schools by the Department for Education, supported by vast amounts of public funding that should surely be better applied elsewhere!    In developing their resources, Stonewall’s aims have never been to ensure child welfare and protection, but rather to promote and normalise LGBT+ values and life style choices.

For these reasons VfJUK has written to the Prime Minister calling for (1) immediate withdrawal of all Stonewall resources from schools.  (2) for the removal of the organisation’s public funding, (3) for an investigation into the charitable status of Stonewall – which by its own admission contravenes the condition under Charity law that it qualifies for charitable status only if it does not engage in political purposes.

Please write to your MP, outlining your unease over Stonewall’s aims and activities, and asking him or her to convey your concerns to the Prime Minister.  Please feel free to use any of the points contained in the letter below, but please use your own words.  Apparent ‘template’ letters are commonly ignored.

Letter to the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP

Dear Prime Minister,

Political exploitation by Stonewall and safeguarding issues in schools

A large number of Government departments are reportedly severing ties with Stonewall, following accusations of unacceptable intimidation, bullying and harassment of those who disagree with their views (https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/stonewall-facing-exodus-from-scheme-as-ministers-lose-faith-g7mr3mtjh).  As part of this, the “charity” has been accused of taking an extremist stance and providing unlawful and highly inaccurate advice on equality law.

On their website, Stonewall states: “We will continue to campaign and lobby governments to change laws that do not ensure equality for LGBT people, or laws that do not go far enough. We will ensure that laws already in place to protect LGBT people are not rescinded. We will work with governments and others to improve equality for trans people … and work with national bodies to ensure LGBT-inclusive policy across sectors ….” And they finish up, ‘We work … to empower institutions as advocates and agents of positive change’ (https://www.stonewall.org.uk/our-mission-and-priorities).  In other words, Stonewall is and always has been a self-defined political organization, expressly working to bring about change in the law, and in society at large.  But only now, it appears, are the tactics it uses to achieve these ends becoming realised.

From its foundation in 1989, Stonewall has produced resources for use in schools aimed at making all educational establishments LGBTQ+ inclusive.  It has been highly successful in this, and its materials are currently specifically recommended for use by the Department for Education in the Government Guidance on implementation of the RSE Regulations (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/
attachment_data/file/908013/Relationships_Education__
Relationships_and_Sex_Education__RSE__and_Health_Education.pdf).

Use of these materials must stop.   Section 406 of the Education Act 1996 prohibits the promotion of partisan political views in the teaching of any subject in schools
(https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/56/part/V/chapter/IV/crossheading/politics).  Though granted the privileges of a charity, Stonewall is not just a self-avowed political organisation dedicated to the promotion and normalisation of LGBT+ values and life-style choices, but it now stands accused of seeking to impose and embed extremist, unlawful and medically inaccurate views so as to promote its highly dubious agenda.

Under the cloak of diversity and misnamed inclusivity, such materials must not be allowed in schools.  We call for their immediate removal and for government funding for their production to be withdrawn.

We also call for urgent review by the Charity Commission into Stonewall’s charitable status.  Charity law states that a ‘political purpose’ cannot be a charitable purpose’ (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-makes-a-charity-cc4/what-makes-a-charity-cc4#annex-b ).   In view of Stonewall’s expressed aims and objectives, we call therefore for their charitable status to be revoked.

Yours sincerely,