The head of Britain’s equalities watchdog is being kept on in her role after attempts to oust her, but only for one more year.
Baroness Falkner has been given an unexpected extension to her role as chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, ministers announced yesterday.
It had been widely thought that she would be dropped when her four-year term ended this month and would be replaced by a Labour grandee such as Baroness Harman, architect of the Equality Act.
Lady Falkner, 69, had also survived repeated attempts by gender activists including her own staff to oust her because of her staunch defence of women’s rights.
Her allies now hope she can use her extra year to complete important work on protecting single-sex spaces as well as making the regulator more effective.
Baroness Falkner (pictured) has been given an unexpected extension to her role as chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, ministers announced yesterday
Baroness Falkner also survived repeated attempts by gender activists including her own staff to oust her because of her staunch defence of women’s rights
It had been widely thought Baroness Falkner would be dropped when her four-year term ended this month and would be replaced by a Labour grandee such as Baroness Harman (pictured)
Later this month, the Commission will be involved in a landmark Supreme Court case over the definition of ‘woman’ in equality law.
Last night Maya Forstater of women’s rights charity Sex Matters said: ‘The extension of Baroness Falkner’s leadership sends a clear message to the activist lobby that went as far as trying to involve the United Nations to unseat her. Baroness Falkner has been heroic in her battle to ensure everyone’s rights are respected.’
Lady Falkner, a cross-bench peer, was appointed EHRC chairman in late 2020 and soon came in for criticism from trans rights groups for saying that women must have the right to question gender ideology.
She then became the target of complaints from within the Commission after she recommended the Government rewrite the Equality Act on the basis of biological sex rather than gender identity, a move that would bar transgender women from female-only spaces such as changing rooms.
As the Mail revealed, more than 40 complaints were lodged against her by a dozen current and former EHRC employees, accusing her of bullying and discrimination.
The investigation, which cost the taxpayer £100,000, was eventually scrapped in October.
Bridget Phillipson, Women and Equalities Secretary, said: ‘The Government thanks Baroness Falkner for her work chairing the EHRC during which the Commission has supported businesses, intervened in strategic cases of discrimination to support victims and contributed to government policy on improving equalities.
‘I look forward to her continuing this work throughout the next 12 months.’