A prominent Christian organisation has launched legal proceedings against the Civil Service over its involvement in Pride celebrations and the use of rainbow symbols in government workplaces.
The Christian Institute has formally notified Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald of its plans to pursue a judicial review targeting civil servants' participation in Pride marches, the wearing of rainbow lanyards, and the inclusion of personal pronouns in official email signatures.
The Newcastle-based organisation, which represents more than 60,000 supporters throughout Britain, maintains these practices violate statutory requirements for political neutrality within the Civil Service.
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Their legal challenge extends to government offices in Westminster, Holyrood, Cardiff Bay and Stormont.
The organisation has enlisted Conrathe Gardner Solicitors, the same legal team that recently secured victory for gender-critical campaigner Linzi Smith against Northumbria Police.
That landmark High Court judgement determined that Pride events and their associated symbols constitute political activity, breaching statutory impartiality requirements for police forces.
Following the ruling, multiple police services have begun prohibiting officers from participating in Pride marches in an official capacity.
Northumbria Police has additionally commenced removing rainbow and progress flag branding from patrol vehicles.
The Christian group said civil servants should be politically neutral
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The Christian Institute's legal action would impact civil servants throughout England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, potentially establishing precedent for public sector neutrality across the United Kingdom.
Simon Calvert, Deputy Director of The Christian Institute, stated: "The law is clear that civil servants must maintain impartiality on controversial political issues. Whether one agrees with it or not, no one can deny that the LGBTQ Pride movement and its hard-line gender ideology are profoundly political."
He highlighted that Pride London has excluded political parties that oppose its demands for puberty blockers and gender self-identification.
"The association between Pride's rainbow flag and controversial positions like these is so strong that many gay and lesbian people have rejected it," Mr Calvert added.
He characterised pronoun declarations in official emails as "a pointed display of allegiance to an ideology which the public increasingly rejects."
Mr Calvert expressed particular concern about encounters with government officials during policy discussions.
"I've been shocked by how many civil servants wear Pride lanyards in our meetings with them, even when those meetings are specifically about the clashes between LGBTQ politics and the Christian faith," he revealed.
Mr Calvert described facing "a phalanx of civil servants in rainbow lanyards," which he said creates an impression of closed minds rather than the neutrality taxpayers deserve.
Deputy Director of The Christian Institute Simon Calvert
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The Institute demands comprehensive prohibition of rainbow lanyards, pronoun usage in public communications, and official Civil Service representation at Pride events.
Government department social media accounts showcasing Pride participation would also face restrictions under their proposals.
The organisation previously achieved a Supreme Court victory overturning the Scottish Government's Named Person scheme.