Stop Trump exporting bigotry and hate

Trump’s actions ripple beyond the United States border. US companies are backtracking in the UK on their commitments to tackling the climate crisis. The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority has abandoned plans to require banks and financial firms to set diversity targets for women and ethnic minorities. A number of UK law firms are, on instructions, expunging references to climate actions from their clients’ annual reports, putting UK legal reporting requirements in jeopardy. And US-based philanthropic foundations are withdrawing funding for UK projects supporting especially disadvantaged communities.

Some of these actions are of questionable legality. But some are simply unlawful.

Good Law Project has been supporting a young trans man to bring legal proceedings in the UK. Morrison Foerster, a large US law firm with a London office, unconditionally and in writing agreed to act for him. It then reversed its position because, we believe, it feared the consequences of acting in a case about protecting trans people.

This might make sense from a commercial perspective – we know how Donald Trump targets lawyers who act for those he dislikes and Morrison Foerster has been targeted by the US so-called Equal Opportunities Commission. We must also say that it has a very good record on LGBTQ+ rights.

But these actions would also be unlawful: a law firm is not allowed to discriminate against people in deciding whether to provide a service. We also believe it breaches the firm’s regulatory obligations and have written to the Solicitors Regulatory Authority.

In these alarming times, there is a very important issue at stake. How long is Donald Trump’s arm? Can he export his bigotry and hate to Britain?

We are supporting this young man to sue Morrison Foerster for discrimination. Not because we dislike them – in fact, we like and we admire them. We are supporting this case because we need to draw a line in the sand and say loud and clear: Not here, President Trump, not in our country.