Youth campaigners hit out at decision to disband government LGBT panel

The move comes following the resignation of three members last month over claims the government was creating a “hostile environment” for LGBT people.

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Mermaids UK, a leading LGBTQ+ charity, has criticised the decision to disband the existing panel with no viable replacement. 

Mermaids said in a tweet: “A government determined to support and empower LGBTQ+ people does not disband its LGBT advisory panel. This is very concerning indeed.”

In a second tweet, the charity raised concerns over whether the decision to disband the panel came as a result of “inconvenient” advice from its members, and questioned what was wrong with the existing panel that called for its substitution.

"Plans for a replacement for the Panel will be set out in due course."
What was considered wrong with the existing panel? Was the advice inconvenient?

— Mermaids (@Mermaids_Gender) April 13, 2021

Gender diversity charity Gendered Intelligence responded with similar concern on Twitter, describing LGBT voices as “utterly defanged and unheard” by the government. 

The charity noted that the lack of ready replacement would result in a “vacuum of community knowledge” in its place.

Utterly defanged and unheard by a Gov ostensibly keen to hear expert LGBT voices, the advisory panel has been fully disbanded now. It seems a bad look for the Gov to have formed no replacement panel, leaving a vacuum of community knowledge in its place. https://t.co/G6sk6uIpea

— Gendered Intelligence (@Genderintell) April 13, 2021

Established in 2018 as part of the government’s LGBT Action Plan under Theresa May, the advisory panel was originally set up with 12 members. 

This number fell to seven last month as three advisors quit over the handling of the government’s pledge to ban conversion therapy.

The group’s terms were due to end on 31 March and no announcement has been made over extending them.

According to BBC News, some members were keen to carry on in their duties, but were unsure of whether the panel still existed. 

A government spokesperson told the BBC that a replacement “will be set out in due course”.

Published in July 2018, the LGBT Action Plan recognised the need for an advisory panel to “guide our work and hold us to account”. Its dispersion comes before any definitive measures have been taken in banning conversion therapy.

However, in a letter seen by the BBC, equalities minister Liz Truss reassured the panel she will continue to “press ahead”, with measures to be announced shortly.

LGBT charities and organisations have called for clarity over the impact of disbanding the advisory panel on LGBT young people and their families.

The Government Equalities Office has been contacted for comment.