• Parents who “withhold money for transition” or “refuse to use preferred pronouns” now defined as “abusive” in recently revised CPS guidance
• Officers will be forced to make “politicised judgements against parents”, says former prosecutor

The following statement may be attributed to Jeremiah Igunnubole, former prosecutor, and legal counsel for ADF UK:

“The revised CPS guidance puts the police force in the intensely difficult and inappropriate position of making politicised judgements against parents. Parents who “withhold money for transition” or “refuse to use preferred pronouns” for their children are now open to prosecution for abuse.

This guidance will only serve to confuse prosecutors and the public. The guidance fails to acknowledge the fact that there is no legal obligation for anyone to use the “preferred pronouns” of any other person. Furthermore, the fact that parents have the primary responsibility for the development and upbringing of their children is protected in international law.

This is the latest misstep in a trend towards guidance which fails to give adequate weight to fundamental freedoms of speech, of conscience, of religion and more.

We urge the CPS to reverse this clampdown on parental primacy and the freedom of families to navigate these issues in the way they consider most appropriate. ADF UK stands ready to defend the rights of parents and families to speak and act in accordance with their conscience and in their children’s interests.“

To arrange interviews with Jeremiah Igunnubole or another ADF UK spokesperson, contact [email protected].