Greater Manchester Police chief refuses to apologise for past homophobia in ‘insult' to LGBT+ community
The chief constable of Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has refused to apologise to the LGBT+ community for historic homophobia in the force.
Campaigners said it was an 'insult' after 21 other forces have issued formal apologies over their past conduct, adding that GMP was 'involved in some of the most extreme unlawful victimisation of LGBTs by any UK force'.
Human rights charity the Peter Tatchell Foundation first issued calls to all forces to say sorry for 'decades-long victimisation' of the LGBT+ community in June 2023.
However, in a recent letter, seen by The Independent, its chief constable, Stephen Watson, declined to 'accede to your request for a general apology', adding it could be seen as 'superficial and merely performative' and could 'unfairly impugn' the service of past officers.
The director of the foundation, Peter Tatchell, who was this week named in The Independent 's Pride List 2025 for his gay rights activism, said: 'This refusal to apologise is an insult to the LGBT+ community, who suffered so much at the hands of the Manchester police in decades past.'
Mr Tatchell has this week again written to CC Watson, appealing once again for him to apologise – noting the troubling history of the force under the late Chief Constable Sir James Anderton in the 1980s.
At the height of the Aids crisis, Mr Anderton said gay men were "swirling about in a human cesspit of their own making", resulting in calls for his resignation.
'Greater Manchester Police has a particularly troubling homophobic history that deserves specific acknowledgement and apology,' Mr Tatchell said.
'Under Chief Constable James Anderton in the 1980s, the force became synonymous with open hostility towards the LGBT+ community.'
He claimed Mr Anderton's comments were not 'isolated rhetoric' and the force targeted gay venues in raids in the 1980s, which in some cases led to gay and bisexual men being outed and subjected to homophobic insults, threats and violence.
Mr Tatchell added: 'To now refuse to apologise adds insult to injury. Apologies are not symbolic—they are acts of justice and healing. They show leadership and humanity. They tell survivors of police witch-hunts: 'We see you, we acknowledge the harm we caused, and we are sorry.'
'Twenty-one other forces have recognised that acknowledging past wrongs helps rebuild LGBT+ trust. It will encourage more LGBTs to report hate crime, sexual assaults and domestic violence, which is what we all want.
'Not saying sorry undermines LGBT+ confidence in the police and will damage the police's reputation among LGBTs.
'We are not suggesting all past officers were bad or blaming today's officers. An apology is about taking responsibility for homophobic police behaviour in previous decades and saying sorry.'
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley was the first to apologise in 2023, in a move which was welcomed by Mr Tatchell for drawing 'a line under past Met persecution'.
A string of others subsequently followed suit, including Merseyside Police's former chief constable Serena Kennedy, who issued their "sincere apology and deepest regret" for "historical prejudice". Others include Dorset and North Yorkshire Police.
In his refusal letter, dated April 2025, CC Watson, who was appointed in 2021, said GMP is proud to serve its many diverse communities and strives to understand their past experiences with the force.
He said the force has made 'considerable' progress over the past 40 years and takes a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination.
He wrote: 'I am, of course, sorry that GMP, and those police bodies which preceded the presently formed GMP prior to 1974, didn't always perform to the standards deserved by those whom we serve.
'It is also the case, however, that over these many decades, literally thousands of police officers have performed their duties with decency, professionalism and compassion.
'Whilst I acknowledge that you are not seeking an apology for officer's having upheld the laws of the day, it would nevertheless be quite unjust for me as the current chief constable to cast some sort of sweeping assertion as to the general conduct of the force over a prolonged period of time, particularly when the period in question is now so dated that virtually no serving officer in the entire force can speak to the period with any personal knowledge.
'Such an apology could well be seen, even by the intended recipients, as both superficial and merely performative.
'It would unfairly impugn the faithful and valued services of past officers; and any such apology would likely make little or no difference to developing contemporary practice which is, as you acknowledge, currently very good and which carries the confidence both of our current LGBTQ+ community and our own staff association.
'With regret, therefore, I find that I cannot accede to your request for a general apology.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
26 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Starmer defended protester who sabotaged military aircraft
Sir Keir Starmer defended a protester who sabotaged US bombers when he was a human rights barrister. Details of the case emerged hours after pro- Palestinian activists allegedly damaged military aircraft at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. Footage posted online by Palestine Action on Friday morning showed two people inside the air base, with one riding an electric scooter up to an Airbus Voyager air-to-air refuelling tanker and appearing to spray paint into its jet engine. It has now emerged that the Prime Minister represented a defendant in a similar case in 2003. A group of anti-war protesters had broken into RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire to sabotage US bombers before they flew to Iraq. Sir Keir argued that while the actions were against the law, they were justified because they were trying to stop the planes from committing war crimes. Josh Richards, who was represented by Sir Keir, was cleared after a jury failed to reach a verdict. The revelation was first made by the Politico email newsletter. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch tweeted: 'Worth noting that Keir Starmer defended an activist who broke into an RAF base to set fire to aircraft. Starmer claimed his client was legally justified because it might stop a war crime. 'If he'd won that argument in 2004, what happened at Brize Norton would be perfectly legal.' Downing Street declined to comment, except to point out the 'cab rank' rule - under which barristers have no choice but to take the next case in the queue. There were six trials into the 'Fairford Five' who broke into the airbase in the build-up to the invasion of Iraq. Two were found guilty of causing criminal damage to American vehicles at the base. Two others were acquitted, while Mr Richards - defended by Sir Keir - was cleared after two juries failed to reach a verdict. On Friday morning, Sir Keir described the 'act of vandalism' by Palestine Action as 'disgraceful'. 'The act of vandalism committed at RAF Brize Norton is disgraceful,' he said. 'Our Armed Forces represent the very best of Britain and put their lives on the line for us every day. 'It is our responsibility to support those who defend us.'
Daily Mail
34 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Parents' fury as primary schoolchildren are taught about the 300 different flags of Pride - including an 'intersex-inclusive' and another that celebrates polyamory
Parents were left furious after discovering that their primary-aged children are being taught about the 300 different flags of pride at school. Leaflets handed out by the charity Swindon and Wiltshire Pride claim there are more flags representing sexuality and gender identity than there are for countries. The extensive list includes an 'intersex-inclusive Pride flag', a 'polyamory Pride flag, and even a black and white 'heterosexual flag' for straight people, which it says can include transgender people. The information, displayed by the local council on social media, goes into detail about a 'small selection' of 29 varieties. It says: 'While some might think [300] is too many, it's all part of a drive to be more inclusive of the expansive breadth of identity within the community'. The leaflets are part of a free annual support guide produced by the charity, which says it aims to 'promote equality and diversity for the public benefit'. The three double-page spreads about Pride flags describe the identity each is meant to represent, the meaning behind their colours, and when the flag was designed if known. For example, beneath the pink, purple, and green 'trigender Pride flag', the charity explains that 'trigender is a gender identity in which a person switches between or among several genders, including a third gender', which may change depending 'on the individual's mood or environment.' Parents of children at the primary schools had raised concerns about the material to the local Labour council but, they told The Telegraph they had been ignored. One mother, a former teacher, said the guide being given out in primary schools was 'really concerning'. 'Obviously the polyamory one, encouraging children to have multiple sex partners, they shouldn't be sexualising children,' she said. 'In the guide itself, under education, it states it is 'for schools, teachers, and students'. 'A couple of sentences down, for example, it says 'raise awareness of the lesser known identities across the fetish spectrum',' she added, saying that was 'inappropriate'. Among the other Pride flags are 'genderqueer', 'demiboy' and 'demigirl', 'pangender', 'abrosexual' and the 'straight ally flag', which places the rainbow colours in the shape of an 'A' on top of the black and white heterosexual flag. Helen Joyce, the director of advocacy at human rights charity Sex Matters, said the flags 'draw children in' and 'suggest that they need to find themselves on the list' which is 'inappropriate and unnecessary'. Ms Joyce added that the 'false belief' a child can be born in the wrong body can be 'deeply unsettling for young people' and they should be 'protected from such misguided and harmful ideas'. A spokesman for Swindon and Wiltshire Pride said: 'We believe in 'Pride 365': a year-round commitment to celebrating identity, raising awareness, and supporting LGBTQIA+ people in our community. 'Throughout the year, we engage with a wide range of local events, organisations, and educational settings to build understanding and foster inclusion. 'During this Pride Month, we were invited into a small number of local schools to support their curriculum-led work around diversity and LGBTQIA+ relationships. 'Our support guide includes helpful information, links to support organisations, and content written for all audiences – it contains no sexual content whatsoever. 'It is disheartening, though sadly not surprising, to face unfounded attacks or misrepresentations of our work. 'As a visible LGBTQIA+ charity, we know that some individuals may seek to undermine the progress we are making in fostering a more compassionate, inclusive society. 'We remain proud of our mission and grateful to the many people, schools, and communities who continue to stand with us.' It comes after last week a Christian company vowed to sue a council dubbed 'Wokeminster' over plans to hang up trans-inclusive flags to mark Pride Month. In collaboration with Westminster City Council, the Crown Estate, who own the majority of properties on Regent Street, plan to fly Progress Pride flags in 20 locations throughout the central London area between mid-June and mid-July. But if the proposed decorations are hoisted into the air within the next week, the council, nicknamed 'Wokeminster' by its own chief executive Stuart Love, and the Crown Estate risk facing legal action from the Christian Legal Centre. Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, told The Telegraph that the Pride flags were an attack on traditional beliefs about sex and gender. She warned that the Christian Legal Centre would have no option but to pursue legal action if the council chooses to proceed with the Pride display, arguing that everyone should feel welcome in Regent Street. Ms Williams said: 'They send the message that people holding these views – which are worthy of respect in a democratic society – are not welcome. 'The majority of the public do not know the highly controversial and harmful symbolism presented by the Progress Pride Flag.' The Pride flag was created by American artist and gay rights activist Gilbert Baker and was first displayed in 1978 as a symbol of the LGBTQ+ community. The Progress Pride flag, designed by artist Daniel Quasar, is an amended version including black, brown, pink, pale blue and white stripes to represent people of colour within the LGBTQ+ community, the trans community and those living with HIV/AIDS. Ms Williams continued: 'This ideology has been discredited by the Cass review, the closure of the Tavistock, and most recently Supreme Court ruling. When will the Crown Estate catch up with the rest of society?' In April, five Supreme Court justices ruled that the legal definition of a 'woman' in the 2010 Equality Act refers 'to a biological woman and biological sex'. Lord Hodge said he recognised 'the strength of feeling on both sides' and cautioned against seeing the judgement as a triumph for one side over another, stressing that the law still gives trans people protection against discrimination. Despite this, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch praised the ruling as a 'victory' for women and said it meant the 'era of Keir Starmer telling us women can have penises has come to an end'. The landmark ruling could have far-reaching implications on how sex-based rights apply, including how women-only spaces are allowed to operate. Vicky Lee, founder of the Way Out Club, urged the Christian Legal Centre not to pursue legal action over the Pride decorations. She argued they would need to sue 'for every pair of hot pants, every T-shirt and every flag worn as a cape because Pride Month is here and the superheroes [trans community] are not going away anytime soon.'
BBC News
44 minutes ago
- BBC News
Bootle stabbing in shop leaves woman in critical condition
A woman is in hospital in a critical condition after being stabbed in a shop. Merseyside Police were called to "a business premises" on Stanley Road, Bootle, near its junction with Wadham Road, on Friday evening at 17:05 was reported a woman in her 40s had been stabbed in the arrested a 47-year-old man from Widnes on suspicion of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article in a public place, and he has been taken into custody for questioning. "I know the circumstances of this incident will come as a huge shock and cause significant distress to people living locally," said a Merseyside Police spokesman said."This is being treated as a domestic assault in which the suspect and victim knew each other."Detectives are speaking to witnesses at the scene and exploring CCTV and doorbell footage opportunities and I would appeal to anyone with information or footage to get in touch." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
