Suella Braverman is set to demolish "woke" diversity training and will impose strict vetting on courses for Home Office employees, leaked documents suggest.
Plans appear to propose an end to courses that are thought to promote policies opposing those of the Government - which includes critical race theory.
Inclusion courses will instead be at the discretion of senior managers which will either be compulsory, voluntary, attended within work time, or must be attended outside work time.
The proposals entitled “Home Office Guidance: Ways of Working for Delivering Diversity and Inclusion Learning” were seen by staff in August.
Plans appear to propose an end to courses that are thought to promote policies opposing those of the government - which includes critical race theory
PAInsiders are said to be worried that the pledges go against those made after the Windrush scandal to boost diversity and inclusion training for the department’s 35,000 staff.
“We are taking the opportunity to ensure all the learning provided is relevant, meaningful, and impactful in a positive way, helping to deliver our objectives," the document said.
"We also want to ensure it is consistent with the values of the Home Office and wider civil service."
It follows reports that the Home Office had run diversity courses with staff which showed it was a “soft touch” and “woke”.
Last August, Braverman supported Liz Truss’s plans to scrap diversity and inclusion roles.
Braverman said she was “all for a diverse workforce … meritocracy [and] inclusion” but there had been a “takeover by HR teams, campaign groups” that had “propagated a political ideology when it comes to identity politics”.
She said: “It’s been divisive, not inclusive. It’s been patronising, not empowering. It’s based on an assumption that me, as an ethnic Asian woman from working-class roots, must be a victim, necessarily oppressed.
“That’s a misassumption. And I think it creates division. It’s tearing up society, breaking down the fabric of our country. And I think it’s a waste of money.”
Inclusion courses will instead be at the discretion of senior managers which will either be compulsory, voluntary, attended within work time, or must be attended outside work time
PAOne Whitehall insider told the Guardian: “The proposals looks like a kneejerk reaction. You have to wonder if the department is ditching Wendy Williams’ reforms to appeal to Suella’s supporters, just in time for Tory party conference.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “It is right that our diversity and inclusion policies and programmes are constantly reviewed. We are looking at our processes to ensure any training meets the needs of the department, our people and delivers value for money for the British taxpayer.
“All Home Office staff are completely committed to righting the wrongs of Windrush and any claims to the contrary are wrong.”
