--- title: "Humanists alarmed by further threats to equality protections" date: "2026-06-09T15:53:18+01:00" modified: "2026-06-09T16:01:06+01:00" url: "https://humanists.uk/2026/06/09/humanists-alarmed-by-further-threats-to-equality-protections/" post_id: 191889 categories: ["News", "Wales"] --- # Humanists alarmed by further threats to equality protections ![](https://i0.wp.com/humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/Kemi-3-1.webp?resize=1200%2C628&ssl=1)Leader of Conservative Party Kemi Badenoch, photo license: CC BY 2.0 [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Conservative_Party_Conference_2023_-_Day_Two_-_53228856126.jpg)Humanists UK is dismayed at the Conservative Party’s [challenge](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy5vyqykpx5o) to the Equality Act with a call to scrap the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED). Humanists UK believes the Equality Act is a vital piece of legislation that supports the [fair and equal society](https://humanists.uk/campaigns/humanist-view-of-society) that humanists strive to achieve. This includes legal protections against discrimination on the grounds of your religion and belief, which cuts across almost all the campaigning work Humanists UK does. The Equality Act brings together decades of anti-discrimination law by [providing protection](https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/equality/equality-act-2010/protected-characteristics) against unfair treatment on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. The Act protects workers from harassment, victimisation, or unfair dismissal on grounds of these protected characteristics. For example, it maintains the rights of disabled people who require reasonable adjustment to carry out their jobs, and protects service users from being denied access or treated unfairly. The PSED requires organisations that serve a ‘public function’ have a duty to uphold equality law. This applies to public authorities such as government departments, the NHS, the police, and local authorities. This announcement by Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch is the latest in a worrying trend of attempts to undermine legislation that promotes a plural, tolerant, and inclusive society. Last year, she also [committed to withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR](https://humanists.uk/2025/10/08/humanists-alarmed-by-further-attacks-on-the-european-convention-on-human-rights/)) if the Conservative Party were to win the next general election. Earlier this year, Reform UK announced its intention to [repeal the Equality Act 2010](https://humanists.uk/2026/02/19/the-equality-act-is-an-essential-safeguard-against-discrimination-and-it-should-matter-to-everyone/) entirely, and [withdraw from the ECHR](https://humanists.uk/2025/08/26/withdrawal-from-human-rights-convention-would-be-dangerous-and-divisive/) as well as several international human rights agreements if it wins the next election. Meanwhile, Labour has called into question how [Article 3 (prohibition of torture) and Article 8 (right to respect for private and family life)](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd72p30v574o) are interpreted in relation to asylum cases. Taken together, these developments risk weakening both equality and human rights protections, undermining the legal safeguards that help individuals challenge discrimination and hold public bodies to account. **Humanists UK Policy and Campaigns Manager Laura Newlyn said:** ---------------------------------------------------------------- > ‘The legal safeguards that protect people from discrimination and uphold fundamental rights are hard-won victories, and hallmarks of a fair and democratic society. The Public Sector Equality Duty is a vital component of equality law that holds public authorities accountable for their decisions. > ‘Withdrawing from a duty to uphold equality does not protect anyone. Where protections fail, robust training and comprehensive, clear guidance are needed to facilitate effective implementation. We should be wary of attempts to weaken these protections or proposals to make it harder to hold those in power accountable, as doing so risks undermining the progress we’ve made towards the equal and inclusive society we would want to be a part of.’ #### Notes For further comment or information, media should contact Humanists UK Head of Press and Campaign Communications Nathan Stilwell at or phone 0203 675 0959 (media only). Read more about our work on [human rights and equality](https://humanists.uk/campaigns/). Humanists UK is the national charity working on behalf of non-religious people. Powered by over 150,000 members and supporters, we advance free thinking and promote humanism to create a tolerant society where rational thinking and kindness prevail. We provide ceremonies, pastoral care, education, and support services benefitting over a million people every year and our campaigns advance humanist thinking on ethical issues, human rights, and equal treatment for all.