Andy Burnham apologises for historic police failings towards LGBT+ people

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has apologised for historic police failings towards LGBT+ people.

In a letter to the Peter Tatchell Foundation, who have been seeking apologies for “the past homophobic persecution” of LGBT+ people by UK police forces, Mr Burnham acknowledged the “unacceptable discrimination and the pain and suffering” caused by police failures.

He said: “There is no doubt in my mind whatsoever that the LGBT+ community historically were treated shamefully by this country and clearly subject to discrimination in many ways.

That discrimination did not only play out in policing, but in all public services and beyond, though I of course acknowledge the distinct consequences of discriminatory and targeted policing.

Fortunately, as you acknowledge, things have moved dramatically forward since the 1980s and 1990s.”

He continued: “As Mayor of Greater Manchester, I acknowledge the unacceptable discrimination and the pain and suffering it caused. I apologise to all LGBT+ people in Greater Manchester and across the UK for the past failing of GMP in this regard.”

Mr Burnham’s comment comes as Greater Manchester Police chief constable Sir Stephen Watson has faced criticism for refusing to apologise on behalf of his force, as he said that to do so could be seen as “superficial and merely performative”.

Activist Peter Tatchell has said that Greater Manchester Police was once “one of the most homophobic police forces in the UK”, citing comments made by 1980s chief constable Sir James Anderton who said that “gay men dying of Aids were ‘swirling around in a human cesspit of their own making’.

“Motivated by his homophobic religious beliefs, he ordered the police to ‘go after’ LGBTs.”

More than 20 chief constables across the UK have apologised for their history of homophobia, including those for City of London, Sussex, Merseyside, Police Scotland, Northumberland, and Durham. The Police Commissioner for the Metropolitan Police has also apologised.

Mr Tatchell said that “GMP has so far refused to do the same. We urge Stephen Watson to do so.”

The Independent understands that there is no change in GMP’s stance at this stage.

The Greater Manchester Mayor commented on Sir Stephen’s comments, acknowledging in his letter that while the Chief Constable hadn’t acceded Mr Tatchell’s request, he believed it was “considered and respectful.”

“It is important for me to point out that Mayors and Police and Crime commissioners have no statutory powers to instruct chief constables, as in law they are operationally independent.”

Mr Tatchell said: “I am grateful to Andy Burnham for his clear and unequivocal apology for the historic mistreatment of LGBT+ people by Greater Manchester Police.

“However, it is deeply disappointing that the Chief Constable continues to refuse to say sorry. A mayoral apology, welcome though it is, cannot substitute for an apology from the police force that carried out these abuses.

“An official GMP apology would be a powerful act of accountability, reconciliation and trust-building with LGBT+ communities. We urge the Chief Constable to follow the example set by Mayor Burnham and other police chiefs across Britain.

“Our foundation will continue to campaign for a full and formal apology from Greater Manchester Police.”

British Ice Skating will now allow same-sex partners to compete

British Ice Skating (BIS), which regulates official ice skating competitions in the United Kingdom, has announced that same-sex pairs will be eligible to compete in couples competitions, starting with the qualifying rounds in March 2026. The change opens the door for more diverse representation, moves away from outdated norms and may reduce the barrier to entry for some trans and nonbinary participants.

“We are pleased to inform you of several upcoming changes for the 2026/27 season,” BIS announced. “These updates follow recent reviews across all disciplines and reflect our continued commitment to supporting skater development, performance pathways and fair access to competition … Same-sex couples will now be permitted to compete in all events, including at the Championships.”

The move makes the United Kingdom only the third country to allow same-sex ice dancing couples to compete in championships. Skate Canada made its nation the first in 2022, when the rules were changed to allow any two skaters, regardless of gender, to partner.

Finland followed suit earlier this year, amending its rules under pressure from Millie Colling, a British ice dancer who moved to Finland at the age of 6, and Emma Aalto, with the support of their coach. The same-sex pair say they are “best friends who wanted to skate together,” and Colling added that there’s a “common misconception” that same-sex ice dancer pairs are in a relationship.

However, same-sex partners still face limitations in competitions. The new BIS rules allow them to compete all the way to the national level, but the International Skating Union (ISU), which governs international competition, still requires ice dancing pairs to be composed of one man and one woman.

While some smaller competitions have allowed same-sex pairing on the ice before, BIS’s move is a big step for inclusivity in national-level sports. In addition to allowing people to choose their own partners based on skill and compatibility, the change likely makes it easier for trans and nonbinary ice skaters to participate in couples competitions without concern for how their birth gender or gender identity might clash with specific rules.

There has been an increasing push from the ice skating community to repeal old-school rules. In February, Olympic gold medalists Madison Hubbell and Gabriella Papadakis left their male partners on the sidelines and performed an exhibition dance together to challenge people’s image of the sport.

“We made people see other realities,” Papadakis said. “The new generation just doesn’t relate to the requirement to have a male and female partner anymore.”

Canadian Olympic skater Kaitlyn Weaver, who waited until after her retirement to come out as lesbian, fearing it would damage her career, helped get the rules changed in Canada and has also been pushing for broader amendments. She criticised the insistence on requiring a man and a woman to partner, saying, “The conservative people don’t want to see two men skating together … It’s their homophobia.”

The policy changes also address a gender imbalance in the sport. As fewer men take up figure skating (owing to perceived homophobia), female skaters have been hard-pressed to find male partners. This has reportedly given too much power to one side in the sport, but allowing women to pair up has helped redress that issue.

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