Legal challenge over Pride marches

The Christian Institute (CI) has begun legal action against prime minister Keir Starmer over official, taxpayer-funded participation in Pride marches. The Civil Service has also been named in High Court proceedings.

The CI is seeking a judicial review of the Civil Service’s official endorsement and funding of Pride, during work time, on grounds that it is “clearly political and clearly in breach of laws on Civil Service impartiality”.

Previous action

Its legal action, which will affect civil servants across the UK, follows a 2025 High Court ruling that Pride is a political organisation; and that police participation in Pride marches breached their duties on impartiality. The CI is using the same legal team that won that case.

The decision led to UK police forces stopping officers from officially participating in Pride marches. The judge pointed out that an officer should bear in mind that “their own views as to what is or is not political or controversial may not necessarily be shared by all members of the public”.

Political impartiality

CI deputy director Simon Calvert said it is “inappropriate” for civil servants to officially endorse Pride. He added: “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.

“I have been working in public policy for decades. I’ve been shocked by how many civil servants wear Pride lanyards in our meetings with them, even when those meetings are specifically about conflicts with that ideology.

“Sitting in front of a phalanx of civil servants in rainbow lanyards gives the impression that their minds are closed on the issues we are discussing. It certainly does not communicate the kind of neutrality that taxpayers expect of civil servants.”