Kemi Badenoch, the UK minister for equalities, used a speech at the Institute for Government on Thursday to condemn the public sector equality duty as bureaucratic overreach that hampers policing and prison management. she vowed to repeal the duty, arguing it forces public bodies into box‑ticking rather than delivering results.

Badenoch calls for repeal of the public sector equality duty

During her address, Badenoch described the duty—a legal requirement for public bodies to assess impacts on protected groups—as “madness” that has drifted from its original intent.. She said the framework now “undermines common sense and effective public services,” and pledged to scrap it entirely to refocus on outcomes. According to the Institute for Government event report, she framed the move as a defence of children and public safety, not an attack on frontline staff.

Police hesitation cited as evidence of bureaucratic overreach

Badenoch pointed to police officers who, she claimed, now avoid investigating suspects for fear of racism accusations. She argued that this caution stems directly from the equality duty’s procedural demands, which she says “turn good policing into a legal minefield.” As the source noted, she used this example to illustrate how the duty creates a climate of risk‑aversion that could jeopardise public safety.

Institute for Government chief Hannah White pushes back

The tension was palpable when Hannah White, chief executive of the centrist think‑tank, responded with skeptical questions during the Q&A. White’s body language and probing remarks highlighted the ideological split between Badenoch’s Conservative reform agenda and the Institute’s liberal‑leaning perspective. Her challenge underscored that the think‑tank remains wary of dismantling a policy it views as a safeguard for protected groups.

Knife attack in Belfast fuels broader immigration debate

In a related exchange, the discussion shifted to a recent knife attack in Belfast, where Secretary of State Hilary Benn faced criticism for not revealing the attacker’s identity or immigration status. Unionist MP Jim Allister linked the incident to “alien culture” concerns, echoing the wider national debate on immigration, integration and security that Badenoch’s equality critique taps into.. this convergence of issues shows how the equality duty debate is entangled with broader cultural and security anxieties.