Support grows for Baroness Falkner amid ‘witch-hunt’

Women’s rights groups have demanded an end to the ‘witch hunt’ against the head of Britain’s equality watchdog by trans activists.

Campaigners said Kishwer Falkner was being persecuted by staff within the Equality and Human Rights Commission for backing reforms that would safeguard female-only spaces such as toilets and hospital wards.

They spoke out after the Mail revealed that employees have compiled a dossier of more than 40 complaints against her.

The allegations of bullying, harassment and transphobia are being investigated by a barrister – but insiders say they are petty and ideologically motivated.

Maya Forstater, whose landmark tribunal case guaranteed the right to express ‘gender critical’ views, led the groundswell of support, saying: ‘Solidarity with Kishwer Falkner who, like many, is facing a witch-hunt for trying to do her job.’

Kathleen Stock, the feminist academic whose planned appearance at the Oxford Union has sparked a free speech row, said: ‘It’s no surprise to me that Baroness Falkner is being persecuted by enemies from within the EHRC.

‘Trans activists within organisations have been vexatiously using the complaints system for years against dissenting women.’

Transgender Trend, which helped expose the scandal of the treatment of children at the Tavistock gender clinic, said: ‘Another witch-hunt instigated by the trans lobby. The EHRC exists to protect everyone’s rights, not just one group at the expense of another.

‘The EHRC head is facing unprecedented abuse for saying that trans rights don’t override women’s rights. We support her call for clarity that sex in the Equality Act means biological sex. Baroness Falkner shouldn’t be vilified for saying this.’

Last month Baroness Falkner told the Government it should consider amending the Equality Act on the basis of biological sex rather than gender, which would protect women’s rights while barring transgender women from accessing female-only spaces.

Conservative MP Caroline Nokes, who chairs the women and equalities committee has raised questions about Baroness Falkner’s leadership.

She told Talk TV: ‘I have certainly seen correspondence questioning what biological definition the EHRC is using, there’s some serious questions about what on earth they were trying to define there and how they went about it.’

Tory MP Mark Jenkinson, who also sits on the women and equalities Committee, said: ‘We’re truly through the looking glass on this gender nonsense.

‘Baroness Falkner is right to stand up for proper equality and the hard-won rights of women.’ EHRC chief executive Marcial Boo said last night: ‘We have a duty to deal with complaints in confidence. We are also required to protect the integrity of internal investigations. We urge all media to avoid prejudicing the outcome.

‘Our role is to make judgments on very difficult and contentious areas of the law after considering all advice.

‘We operate an open-door policy and listen to and engage with people, both inside and outside our organisation, whose views reflect the whole spectrum of opinions.’

Last night Channel 4 News broadcast what it said was evidence of a ‘toxic culture’ at the EHRC and the ‘consternation’ at Baroness Falkner’s leadership, claiming that one in four staff left the watchdog last year, including two in five LGBT employees.

It quoted a number of current and former staff members anonymously, with one describing the situation as ‘heart-breaking’ and another saying ‘staff were crying’ on calls. The programme quoted from a document that alleged ‘there is a lack of psychological safety ie the fear of who will be attacked next’, and ‘unacceptable behaviour’ by Baroness Falkner was ‘becoming normalised’ while ‘staff are not treated with courtesy and respect / bullying’.

Baroness Falkner broke her silence last night, telling Channel 4 in a statement: ‘I have worked my whole life to promote the principles of equality and human rights, which are close to my heart as a British Pakistani woman in public life.

‘It was considered appropriate to investigate the allegations through an independent investigator. While that process continues, all I can do is explain that allegations were received in February in my capacity as chair of the commission. They relate to both me and to the whole board. ‘I of course take these allegations very seriously and with humility. I will be cooperating fully with the investigation and have every confidence in being exonerated.

‘I’m always prepared to take criticism to reflect on my decisions, and to hear from those I may have inadvertently upset by my actions, or those of the board.’

Tory MP Ms Nokes told the programme the allegations were ‘appalling’, saying: ‘I think the EHRC needs to act on whatever this independent inquiry finds and makes sure that it gets its house in order.’

But she added there was no reason why women’s and trans people’s rights should be a ‘zero-sum game’.

‘I will be very disappointed if it is found that there has been groupthink on any issue from any perspective, which has adversely impacted a single group,’ she said.