TABLE OF CONTENTS
The run-up to the general election has been peppered with much deliberation as to who came off best in the televised leaders’ debates.
For some voters, the election on July 4 will be the day we potentially leave behind the past 14 years of Conservative rule, if recent polls are to be believed. For others, it will be a chance for Sunak’s government to keep doing what they are doing.
The Liberal Democrats, Green Party, Reform UK, Plaid Cymru, the SNP and independent candidates are all jostling to have a louder voice and play a part in what comes next, but what might the future hold for DE&I?
We look at the manifestos of the main parties to see what might be in store for DE&I.
Conservative Party
The Conservative Party election manifesto aims to change the Equality Act to state that the protected characteristic of sex refers to biological sex only. "Biological sex is a reality,” the manifesto states. The document does note that it “is right that we have in place provisions and protections for those whose sense of self does not match their biological sex” but makes no commitments to maintain or improve these. The party's priority is upholding single-sex spaces.
Also, the party will assess and streamline existing DE&I mandates, allowing employers to develop DE&I programmes tailored to their organisation while introducing controls on all DE&I initiatives and spending. They say that steps taken to make workplaces more equitable must not be weakened and must reflect society – adding that they will ensure anti-discrimination laws are effectively enforced and that there are robust mechanisms for reporting and addressing grievances. This means employers may need to review and possibly update their policies and practices to comply with these changes while ensuring that workplace environments are inclusive and free from discrimination.
The Conservatives are focused on getting a greater number of people into work via reforms of the welfare system and cuts to National Insurance (NI), even scrapping NI for self-employed people. The manifesto additionally commits to a continued increase in the National Living Wage, ensuring that it remains in line with inflation and the cost of living. At current projections this would manifest as an increase to £13 per hour for all workers aged over 21. The target is to support low-income workers and reduce income inequality.
The party says it will also create economic empowerment programmes that focus on creating opportunities for minority-owned businesses through grants and support programmes.
The party’s manifesto for the 2024 General Election does not explicitly mention the Human Rights Act 1998, and only mentions the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) once.
Labour Party
If they take power, the current opposition party stands to potentially make the most significant alterations in the status quo, as they will be coming into authority from a position of having been unable to make policy changes for more than a decade.
Labour says the party will make it easier for people to register a new gender once they have a medical diagnosis. Additionally, they will ban conversion practices for LGBTQ+ people and make hate crimes against this community and those with disabilities an aggravated offence.
Also, Labour has proposed a New Deal for Working People, with plans such as employment rights that kick in immediately, regulated zero-hours contracts and stopping practices whereby people are sacked and must reapply for their jobs. The manifesto states that the plan is to ‘make work pay, ensure security at work and help provide the work life balance everyone deserves’.
They will also strengthen measures in large firms to address the gender pay gap, including incorporating outsourced workers into the measurement of pay disparities. The gender pay gap, which currently stands at 14.3%, according to the TUC, will come under sharp scrutiny, with Rachel Reeves pledging to close the gender pay gap “once and for all” while making flexible working the norm if she becomes Britain’s first female chancellor of the exchequer. She also wants women to occupy 50% of the seats on company boards instead of the current 42%.
Labour also aims to strengthen rights to equal pay and protections from maternity and menopause discrimination and place a duty on employers with more than 250 employees to produce menopause action plans ‘setting out how they will support employees through the menopause, much like gender pay gap action plans’.
When it comes to the ECHR, the Labour party manifesto does not have many explicit mentions of Human Rights but does pledge that the UK would remain a member of the ECHR. This would mean that the UK must pass laws that are compatible with convention rights, and public officials would need to respect, protect, and fulfil our human rights.
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats have promised to ban all trans conversion therapy and have pledged to recognise non-binary people in law, also making it possible for trans people to change gender legally, without the need for medical reports or spousal permission. They would also strengthen and protect access to healthcare and bolster LGBTQI+ rights.
They also keep a clear focus on child-centred policies, with those who are educationally disadvantaged receiving education maintenance grants, free tutoring and greater access to extracurricular opportunities. The party would also like an extension in pupil premium funding beyond 16 and into further education.
The pledges that specifically relate to the Human Rights Act 1998 and the European Convention of Human Rights suggest that the Liberal Democrats would protect our current Human Rights Act, as well as our relationship with the ECHR.
The Liberal Democrats will expand eligibility for Carers Allowance by reducing the number of hours’ care per week required, raise the amount carers can earn and introduce an earnings taper.
Green Party
The Green Party’s manifesto focuses on intersectionality and systemic change. Their trans-inclusive statement centres on promoting diversity in political representation by encouraging candidates from various backgrounds and supporting minority candidates.
The party also wants to implement comprehensive anti-racism training across all public services and promote policies that address systemic racism in society.
The Greens support self-ID and would ban trans-inclusive conversion therapy and aim to protect trans children in schools. They say: ‘LGBTIQA+ Greens aim to build a more sustainable and just society where everyone is valued, respected and empowered regardless of their sexuality, gender identity or intersex status.’
Additionally, the party would introduce a universal basic income to reduce economic inequalities, which often disproportionately affect minority communities.
The Green Party pledges a commitment to continue the UK’s relationship with the ECtHR and to the Human Rights Act 1998.
Reform UK
This relatively new party wants to ban all transgender ideology, make single-sex toilets the norm, and ban gender swapping.
Reform would introduce strict immigration controls and tighten borders ‘to ensure national security and social cohesion’, scaling back multiculturism and replacing it with an assimilationist approach. Reform also wants to increase the income tax threshold to £20,000 and introduce an immigration tax forcing employers to pay an increased National Insurance rate for every foreign employee.
Education under Reform UK would emphasise traditional British values and history and when it comes to work, economic policies would prioritise the employment and training of British citizens over foreign workers.
Reform also wants to change the definition of what constitutes a hate crime and states it will leave the European Court of Human Rights. Finally, their ‘contract’ states: ‘The Equalities Act requires discrimination in the name of “positive action”. We will scrap Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DE&I) rules that have lowered standards and reduced economic productivity.’
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