Wiltshire Police accused of ‘LGBTQ+ bias’ as force is sued by free speech campaigners over Pride stall
Fair Cop co-founder Sarah Phillimore says the force’s involvement showed a “lack of neutrality” and could be seen as supporting LGBTQ+ causes
By Callum Wells
Wiltshire Police is facing legal action from free speech campaigners, who argue the force cannot remain neutral wile supporting Pride marches.
The judicial review, led by barrister and Fair Cop co-founder Sarah Phillimore, focuses on Wiltshire Police’s presence at Swindon’s summer Pride, where officers ran a stall. Phillimore says the force’s involvement showed a “lack of neutrality” and could be seen as supporting LGBTQ+ causes. A similar case earlier this year targeted Northumbria Police’.
The High Court previously ruled that Northumbria Police’s public support for transgender rights – including displaying flags on patrol vehicles – risked raising doubts about “fairness and impartiality”.
“A stall was run by staff members wearing police T-shirts with Pride motifs and Progress lanyards” – James Gardner of Conrathe Gardner LLP
Mr Justice Linden explained: “It is not hard to imagine circumstances in which the officers in question might be called on to deal with a clash between gender-critical people and supporters of gender ideology, and therefore situations where the former had cause for concern as to whether they were being dealt with impartially.”
Although that ruling was specific to Northumbria, campaigners are now challenging other forces. Phillimore and her legal team argue that uniformed officers publicly supporting politically sensitive causes – including LGBTQ+ rights – could undermine public confidence in police impartiality.
James Gardner of Conrathe Gardner LLP, representing Phillimore, said Wiltshire Police had “lent their full support” to Swindon Pride. He told The Telegraph: “A stall was run by staff members wearing police T-shirts with Pride motifs and Progress lanyards, displaying Pride and Progress flags and handing out Pride stickers to the public.”
Superintendent Conway Duncan defended the force, insisting officers attended only as part of an “official policing response”
Gardner suggested the display implied “the police support trans causes”, at a time of intense debate over transgender rights in the UK and internationally, driven by disputes over biological sex versus gender identity.
He added: “Pride is a political cause and Wiltshire Police should not be supporting it. They need to be called to account for this unlawful conduct.”
Here I am. I don’t give a shit what you think I look like. I remain female. I will remain female whether or not you want to fuck me, whether or not you think I am beautiful, whether or not you think I look like a man.
— Sarah Phillimore (@SVPhillimore) November 2, 2025
It wasn’t me with a megaphone yesterday shouting at a group… https://t.co/dzAC7jvm7S pic.twitter.com/RXrdl0QdxQ
Superintendent Conway Duncan defended the force, insisting officers attended only as part of an “official policing response.” He said: “A policy decision was made that on-duty attendance at the Swindon and Wiltshire Pride march was only permitted for officers and staff where it forms part of the official policing response. Our officers were rightly undertaking their roles – including community engagement – in a visible capacity both inside and outside the event.”
A Wiltshire Police spokesperson said: “We are responding to a claim regarding our involvement in Swindon and Wiltshire Community Pride events. As this is an ongoing legal challenge, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.”