KEMI BADENOCH has called for the abolition of the legal duty requiring public bodies to consider equality when making decisions.

The Conservative leader said the Public Sector Equality Duty had become a burden on schools, hospitals, police forces and councils, claiming it had allowed “dangerous and divisive agendas” to take hold across public services.

The duty, introduced under the Equality Act 2010, applies to public authorities in England, Scotland and Wales. It requires them to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between people with and without protected characteristics.

Those protected characteristics include age, disability, race, sex, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, and sexual orientation.

Badenoch said the duty had created a “minefield” around public decision-making, leaving major decisions vulnerable to legal challenge.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Tuesday morning, she said the public sector aspect of the Act had failed to allow for “common sense”.

She said people in public services had become scared to do their jobs properly “in case they were called racist”.

The Conservatives say the proposal is part of a wider programme to “restore common sense” in public life. The party argues that the equality duty has encouraged diversity, equality and inclusion bureaucracy, ideological box-ticking, and confusion within public services.

Shadow equalities minister Claire Coutinho said public bodies were increasingly “obsessing” over equality rather than focusing on their core duties.

She said police officers, in particular, were being forced to make difficult decisions while navigating equality guidance that could cloud their judgement.

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Badenoch also referred to a number of high-profile cases, including the Nottingham attacks carried out by Valdo Calocane, the fatal stabbing of an 18-year-old Henry Nowak in Southampton by Vickrum Digwa, and the Manchester Arena bombing carried out by Salman Abedi.

Calocane, who killed three people in Nottingham in June 2023, has strong links to Pembrokeshire. He was from Haverfordwest, attended Sir Thomas Picton School, now Haverfordwest High VC School, and his parents still believed to live in the town.

The case remains highly sensitive, with previous criticism focused on police and health service failings in the lead-up to the killings. Badenoch suggested such cases had fuelled concerns that frontline agencies had become too cautious in exercising judgement for fear of accusations of discrimination.

Badenoch was also in Pembrokeshire last month, visiting Pembroke Refinery, where she spoke to The Herald about the upcoming Senedd elections.

Political divide

The Equality and Human Rights Commission defended the duty, saying it helps public bodies make better decisions by considering the impact of their actions on all those affected.

The issue has become a dividing line between the main political parties. Reform UK has said the Conservatives are not going far enough, arguing that the Equality Act itself should be scrapped.

The Liberal Democrats accused Badenoch of trying to reignite culture war politics, while Labour is preparing to publish a new equality and diversity strategy focused heavily on class and socio-economic background.

The government says its plan will aim to improve access to the civil service for people from working-class and regional backgrounds, and address the over-representation of people from wealthier families in senior public roles.

The Public Sector Equality Duty has previously been used in legal challenges against councils and government departments, including cases involving library closures, care home fees, and the Home Office’s treatment of the Windrush generation.

‘PETTY AND MINDLESS’ ATTACK CRITICISED BY LOCAL COUNCILLOR AND MS

A PEMBROKESHIRE councillor has condemned “mindless” graffiti daubed on a wall in Johnston, saying it sends the wrong message to children, visitors and residents.

Cllr Aled Thomas, who represents Johnston, said he was “really angry” after seeing the words sprayed in blue paint in the village.

He said he was not personally offended by the abuse, but was upset by the impact on the wider community.

Cllr Thomas said: “What really angered me was what type of message this sends to visitors and young people in our community, particularly as there are so many hardworking people behind the scenes just trying to make Johnston a better place for everyone.”

He said Johnston Community Council had worked hard to improve local green spaces, including Glebelands Field, the Woodland Walk and Vine Field, as well as ensuring play parks were safe to use.

He added: “Someone throwing all that hard work by local residents down the drain by detracting from it with petty graffiti makes me angry.”

The councillor also said children walking to Johnston School should not be exposed to “mindless disgusting language”, adding that staff and governors worked hard to foster “decency and respect”.

Addressing whoever was responsible, he said: “If you have a personal problem with me or my party, I suggest you reach out to me to discuss your problems without ruining the village for everyone else.

“Failing that, you can graffiti your ballot paper next May instead and vote me out as your local councillor — but until that day comes, I’ll continue doing my very best to help Johnston and its residents thrive, and no graffiti will ever stop me.”

Paul Davies MS also criticised the vandalism, saying: “This is absolutely disgraceful. Of course, I realise that people disagree with our views as Conservatives but to vandalise, use this language and spoil our environment is totally unacceptable.”

Photo caption:

Vandalism condemned: Graffiti sprayed on a wall in Johnston has been criticised by Cllr Aled Thomas and Paul Davies MS (Pic: Facebook).

A CALL to allow a Pembrokeshire seaside hotel to become short-term holiday let accommodation to ensure its long-term viability in a changing tourism sector has been submitted to the national park.

In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Abergavenny-based Kyle Williams, seeks permission for a change of use of The Hildebrand Hotel, 29 Victoria Street, just off Tenby’s Esplanade seafront, from a traditional hotel to a short-term holiday letting operation.

A supporting statement accompanying the application says the scheme seeks to “secure the continued viable use of the property through its operation as professionally managed holiday accommodation, providing high-quality visitor accommodation within the established tourism destination of Tenby”.

It adds: “The Hildebrand Hotel is an established visitor accommodation property located within Tenby, Pembrokeshire, one of Wales’ premier coastal tourism destinations. The property has historically operated as hotel accommodation and occupies a sustainable location within walking distance of local services, beaches, restaurants, public transport facilities and tourism attractions.

“The building is well suited to visitor accommodation use and benefits from existing infrastructure, guest facilities and accommodation layouts that support continued tourism-related occupation.”

It says no significant external alterations are proposed, adding the “character, appearance and scale of the building will remain unchanged”.

“The accommodation will be let on a short-term basis to visitors and tourists, supporting the local visitor economy whilst ensuring the building remains occupied, maintained and economically viable.”

It adds: “The proposed use will ensure the continued occupation and maintenance of the building. The hospitality sector has experienced significant operational challenges in recent years, including staffing pressures, increasing energy costs and changing visitor preferences. The proposed use offers a flexible operational model capable of maintaining the long-term viability of the property.”

It concludes: “The proposal will retain the building within the tourism sector, support the local economy, preserve the ongoing use of an established visitor accommodation property and ensure the long-term viability of the site.

“No significant external alterations are proposed, and the development is not expected to result in unacceptable impacts upon neighbouring amenity, highway safety or the character of the area.”

The application will be considered by Park planners at a later date.