Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has announced plans to eliminate the public sector equality duty, a legal requirement that mandates public bodies consider equality implications in their decision-making processes.

Badenoch will argue that the current rules have created complications for public sector operations, describing them as a framework that exposes most significant public decisions to potential legal challenges.

The public sector equality duty, established under previous legislation, requires public authorities to consider how their policies and decisions affect people with protected characteristics such as race, gender, disability, and other factors defined in equality law.

Badenoch's proposal represents a significant policy shift that would remove these legal obligations from government departments, local authorities, schools, hospitals, and other public sector organizations.

The Conservative leader's announcement comes as part of broader policy positioning as the party seeks to define its approach to governance following its recent electoral defeat. The proposal would require legislative changes if implemented.

Public sector equality duties have been a feature of UK law for over a decade, with supporters arguing they help ensure fair treatment across different groups in society, while critics contend they create bureaucratic burdens and complicate decision-making processes.