When the Tories came to power in 2010, the ground-breaking Equality Act had just become law. But the newly appointed Equalities Minister wasted no time in systematically undermining both the Act itself and the Commission responsible for enforcing it.

The quote by Emily Thornberry criticizes the actions of the Tories (the Conservative Party) after they came to power in 2010. She points out that the Equality Act, a major piece of legislation designed to protect against discrimination and promote equality, had just been passed. However, according to Thornberry, the newly appointed Equalities Minister quickly began to weaken both the Act and the Commission responsible for its enforcement. Her statement suggests that instead of building on progress, the government moved to undermine equality protections.

The origin of this statement lies in the political debates surrounding the Equality Act 2010, which was introduced by the Labour government under Harriet Harman and passed just before the Conservatives took office. The Act consolidated previous anti-discrimination laws into a single framework, covering issues such as race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, and age. When the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government began, critics like Thornberry accused them of scaling back the enforcement powers of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and limiting aspects of the Act’s scope.

Thornberry’s critique reflects the wider clash between Labour and Conservative visions of equality policy. Labour traditionally positioned itself as the champion of robust anti-discrimination laws, while Conservatives often argued against what they saw as excessive regulation or burdens on business. By saying the Act was “systematically undermined,” Thornberry accuses the Conservatives of deliberately weakening institutional safeguards designed to protect civil rights.

In summary, the quote underscores the political struggle over the future of the Equality Act and its enforcement. Thornberry presents the Conservatives as rolling back progress on social justice, while framing Labour as the defender of fairness and protection against discrimination. Her words highlight how legislation intended to secure equality became a battleground for broader ideological debates about the role of government in shaping society.