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How Priti Patel is using gay rights to push through ‘draconian’ Police Bill

The Tories are offering crumbs to some groups in order to ‘divide and conquer’, say campaigners

How Priti Patel is using gay rights to push through ‘draconian’ Police Bill
Priti Patel has been accused of using ‘divide and conquer tactics’ to pass her policing bill | PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo
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“I find it very offensive. It’s window dressing. It's purely symbolic.”

Tyler Hatwell, the founder of LGBT Travellers Pride, is describing Priti Patel’s plans to wipe historic convictions for homosexual activity from people’s criminal records.

“I’m not saying that wrongs shouldn’t be righted,” Hatwell adds, “but it feels like an absurd thing to be focusing on that rather than some of the more existential issues facing LGBTQ people today.”