Caroline ffiske was a Conservative Councillor for Eight Years. Published on 13 April 2021.

Local elections for Police and Crime Commissioners are coming up in May. PCCs oversee local police forces and play an important role in setting police priorities and delivering effectiveness. Democratically elected, PCCs are intended to be 'the voice of the people' ensuring that police priorities reflect local priorities. Many women are becoming increasingly concerned about the way in which police forces have taken on board gender ideology. The PCC elections are therefore an opportunity to brief candidates about our concerns and to ask them how they would deal with these concerns. We are therefore sending this letter to all Conservative PCC candidates. We urge you to do the same for your local candidates. However, and perhaps this is even more important: when the elections are over we suggest you ask for a meeting with the new incumbent, to put your concerns to them in person, build an ongoing relationship, and seek answers.

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Dear PCC Candidate,

Many women are increasingly concerned by the way in which police forces across the country have taken on board "gender ideology" which prioritises the importance of the concept of ‘inner gender identity’ over biological sex. This is despite the fact that there is no basis for this concept in science, nor protection for it in law. However, sex is a protected characteristic in the Equality Act. Many police forces also pay the charity Stonewall to provide them with advice on this subject. Stonewall actively campaigns on the basis that 'transwomen are women' - with no ifs, buts, or caveats - and that they should be able to self-identify into female safe spaces and opportunities.

As you can imagine, this prioritisation of 'gender ideology' over both established science and women's rights undermines women's confidence in the police. 

College of Policing Hate Crime guidance is also being used to suppress our freedom of speech and inhibit our ability to discuss these important matters. You are likely aware, for example, that ex-policeman, Harry Miller, was reported to the police for tweeting about gender ideology, and the police hold records which effectively accuse him of 'hate'. Many women and many Conservatives are alarmed at the over-reach of the concept of 'Non-Crime Hate Incident' and the chilling impact it is now having on free speech.

If you are elected PCC:

1) Will you commit your force to recording all crime statistics, both victim and perpetrator, by sex rather than by self-declared gender? (Police forces in this country have stated that they will even record male rapists as 'female' if they claim to so identify.)

2) If a woman is reported to your force for a ‘hate incident’ for engaging in debate (online or offline) about the conflict between women’s rights and gender ideology will you commit to informing her so that she can defend herself against such accusations, and will you ensure that only accurate and unbiased records are maintained?

3) Will you commit to defending free speech and open debate, and to challenging College of Policing Hate Crime Guidance in your capacity as PCC, because of the impact it is having on free speech and women's right to open debate on these important matters?

4) Will you commit to undertaking an honest review of your forces relationship with Stonewall, or any other 'LGBT advisory groups' which promote gender ideology, exploring how this impacts your force's understanding of The Equality Act, women's rights, and science?

Thank you for reading,

ConservativesforWomen

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