09/06/2026
The Traveller Movement's response to Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch's speech - The Traveller Movement is deeply concerned by comments made by Kemi Badenoch in her speech on equality under the law, in which she referred to “Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities breaking laws that no one else would get away with.”
As recognised ethnic minority communities, Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller people should expect the same standards of fairness and responsible public discourse afforded to any other ethnic group.
We are also concerned by proposals to abolish the Public Sector Equality Duty. While reasonable people may disagree about how equality law should operate, the duty plays an important role in ensuring that public bodies consider the impact of their decisions on communities that have historically faced discrimination and exclusion.
The Public Sector Equality Duty does not provide special treatment to particular groups. Rather, it helps ensure that public authorities understand how policies and services affect different communities before decisions are made. This preventative approach promotes better decision-making and stronger accountability.
Removing the Public Sector Equality Duty risks creating a cycle in which inequalities are identified only after harm has occurred, rather than being addressed at the earliest stage. Over time, this could result in the experiences and needs of marginalised communities carrying less weight in public decision-making, making it harder to challenge disadvantage and rebuild trust in public institutions.
For Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities, which continue to face significant barriers in areas such as education, health, housing and access to public services, the potential consequences of weakening these safeguards are particularly concerning. Any proposal to remove the Public Sector Equality Duty would lead to the most marginalised communities being put most at risk.
At a time when community cohesion is under pressure, political leaders should be helping to build understanding between communities, not deepening division through language that risks portraying entire ethnic groups through the actions of a minority.
The Traveller Movement remains committed to working constructively with policymakers of all political parties to tackle inequality, challenge discrimination and ensure that Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller people are treated with dignity, fairness and respect.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed hope that Reform-run councils that have removed Ukrainian flags from public buildings will reverse their decision. Meanwhile, the prime minister has threatened legislation to force tech firms to take more action on explicit images of children.
