GB News host Andrew Pierce has taken aim at the police amid a new Tory culture war probe.
He spoke about Common Sense Minister Esther McVey’s decision to ban rainbow-coloured and other “random” lanyards in the civil service.
McVey unveiled the measures as part of the Tory “war on woke”.
Andrew said on GB News that gesture politics has become a scourge across British institutions as he cited a police example.
Andrew Pierce has hit out at woke spending initiatives
GB NEWS / GETTY
“A report only yesterday said that one police force spent £24,000 on equality lanyards, badges and whistles”, he said.
“What a flipping waste of money when you never see bobbies on the beat.
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Andrew Pierce discusses Esther McVey's proposed lanyard ban for civil servants
GB NEWS
“Outrageous.”
Bev Turner had a more neutral stance on the issue, saying political lanyards could serve a purpose.
“I quite like to know what someone feels very strongly about”, she said.
“Know your enemy. There’s division everywhere.”
It was revealed in January that police forces have spent £66,000 on rainbow-themed merchandise, including flags, selfie frames and pens.
The Telegraph reported that the highest spender was the South Wales Police, which racked up £24,000 on rainbow flags, face paints, T-shirts, badges, pens, whistles, wristbands, sporks, trolley key rings and water bottles.
McVey yesterday pledged a “common sense fightback” in response to Civil Service diversity roles.
So-called “common sense minister” Esther McVey said there would be no more spending on external equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) contracts without an explicit sign-off from a minister, and no more EDI-focused Whitehall jobs outside human resources.
She said: “At the heart of these changes are value for money for the taxpayer and better customer service for the public.”
McVey added: “People want their public servants to be getting on with the job of making their lives better, not engaging in endless internal discussions about ideology, and I am not prepared to see pointless job creation schemes for the politically correct.”