The positions of Badenoch and Farage on the Equality Act

 

The positions of Badenoch and Farage on the Equality Act

Both Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch and Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage oppose current UK equality policies, but they differ significantly in their approach: Badenoch wants to amend the Equality Act 2010 by abolishing the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), whereas Farage wants to scrap the entire Equality Act altogether.

 

The positions of both politicians are detailed below.

Kemi Badenoch (Conservative Party)

• Targeted Abolition: Badenoch pledges to dismantle a specific part of the legislation—the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED).
• Preserving Core Protections: She supports keeping the foundational elements of the Equality Act 2010 intact to safeguard individuals from direct discrimination.
• "Shield, Not a Sword": She argues that equality law should act as a shield to protect individuals rather than a "sword" used by public bodies to enforce a box-ticking culture.
• Anti-Identity Politics: Badenoch claims the PSED has perverted British institutions (such as the police and the Bank of England) by forcing them to prioritize identity politics and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) agendas over institutional competence and common sense.

Nigel Farage (Reform UK)

• Total Repeal: Farage and Reform UK pledge to completely abolish the Equality Act 2010 on day one.
• Reverting to Prior Laws: His policy is to eliminate the Act entirely and revert to older, pre-2010 anti-discrimination legislation to govern the country.
• Claim of "Anti-White Discrimination": Farage argues that the 2010 Act has damaged true meritocracy and directly fostered anti-white discrimination by codifying positive action and group-based preferences across public services, the military, and the job market.
• Colorblind Society: He advocates for a strict meritocratic system where individual character and talent—rather than race, religion, or gender—determine success.