Mick Hartley

Stonewall continues its slide into life's rear view mirror:

Sport England has ditched its Stonewall membership amid warnings that quangos should distance themselves from the charity, it can be revealed….

It comes after Kemi Badenoch, the business secretary and women and equalities minister, warned quangos to cut ties with the charity amid fears over the influence it is having on policy and its stance on transgender issues.

Sport England had paid more than £5000 in fees to the controversial LGBTQ lobby group in the last two financial years as part of the charity's controversial diversity champions scheme, which includes guidance for employers on pronouns and gender-neutral spaces.

But it no longer expects to 'make any payments to Stonewall in this current financial year' after a review of the partnership.

Of particular relevance given Stonewall's stance on men competing in women's sport.

Fiona McAnena, director of campaigns at Sex Matters, a human-rights charity that campaigns for clarity on sex in law, policy and language, said : 'It's a relief to see Sport England stepping away from Stonewall.

'Sport England gets millions of pounds of public money, and it has a duty to make sport work for everyone.

'That duty is not compatible with taking advice from Stonewall, whose approach on sport pushes for men with transgender identities to be included in women's sport.

'This is not fair or safe for women and girls, and it's not inclusive. Women and girls must have male-free teams and competitions.'