The Foreign Office is flying the Bisexual Awareness Week flag, prompting fresh calls for David Lammy to rethink his priorities.
Two of the pink, purple and blue banners are displayed in the courtyard of the department’s historic Grade I-listed headquarters in Westminster.
It is the only Whitehall government department building outwardly marking Bisexual Awareness Week.
Critics questioned why the ministry responsible for foreign policy and diplomacy is focusing on promoting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) events at a time of deepening conflict in the Middle East as well as the war in Ukraine.
The spectacle comes just a day after Foreign Secretary Mr Lammy claimed climate change was a ‘more fundamental’ threat than terrorism or dictators such as Vladimir Putin.
Two of the pink, purple and blue banners are displayed in the courtyard of the Foreign Office’s historic Grade I-listed headquarters in Westminster. It is the only Whitehall government department building outwardly marking Bisexual Awareness Week
The spectacle has prompted fresh calls for David Lammy, pictured Tuesday, to rethink his priorities. Critics have questioned why the ministry responsible for foreign policy and diplomacy is focusing on promoting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) events at a time of deepening conflict in the Middle East as well as the war in Ukraine
But the flags were celebrated by senior civil servants. Corin Robertson, director-general of finance and corporate at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), posted a photo of the flags on social media with the caption: ‘Happy bisexuality awareness week.’
Sarah Lingard, deputy director of delivery, projects and consultancy, shared the post, adding: ‘Now this is a workplace I can be proud to be myself in.’
Kate Barker, chief executive of the LGB Alliance, challenged the FCDO to fly the flag in countries where people were persecuted for their sexuality.
‘We would love to see UK embassies proudly flying the flag in countries where people are criminalised and even murdered by the state for being same-sex attracted.’
Last night a Tory party spokesman told the Mail: ‘Labour have revealed their real priorities when it comes to foreign affairs.
‘In an incredibly dangerous, unstable world the first and foremost job of the Foreign Office must be standing up to those who threaten us.
‘Labour ministers should be flying the flag for Britain abroad, not spending taxpayers’ money on woke virtue-signalling.’
First responders put out a fire in an open in Lod near Tel Aviv, caused by a missile fired from Yemen on September 15, 2024
A view of the heavily damaged and partially destroyed houses aftermath of the Russian attack on the village of Komyshuvakha in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya region on September 17, 2024
There are questions over whether the FCDO should have applied for planning permission from Westminster City Council, as the bisexual pride flag is not on a list of those that can be flown without consent.
The FCDO declined to say if it had done so, but a spokesman said: ‘The FCDO stands for inclusivity, diversity and acceptance, both at home and abroad.
‘We celebrate the diversity of our staff throughout the year.’