Impartiality and neutrality have always been first among the core founding principles of the Police Service. The Police are to enforce current law without preference or prejudice, and must ensure there is no public perception of bias that may undermine trust in the Police as an institution.
Stonewall is an explicitly activist organisation  with a radical political agenda. Surrey Police should not be paying for their services, nor should any other politically neutral publicly funded body.

Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend rightly says that the influence of Stonewall’s radical political agenda undermines public trust in the police. This is especially true of the debate on the treatment of vulnerable Women and the need for sex segregated safe spaces in extreme situations including custodial facilities and Women’s Shelters. Stonewall’s agenda endangers the Women who rely on these spaces.

We are alarmed to hear that Lisa Townsend is the subject of political attack for expressing these legitimate views. She speaks for a number of marginalised residents who do not want her as their elected representative to be silenced or censured. We support her right to freedom of expression in defence of Womens rights and call on Surrey County Council to do the same.