Editing Ben Summerskill (section)

==Stonewall==
As chief executive of Stonewall, he succeeded Director [[Angela Mason]] in early 2003, expanding its work from parliamentary lobbying into other fields including workplace equality and campaigning against homophobia in schools. He led successful campaigns for the repeal of [[Section 28]] of the [[Local Government Act 1988]],<ref name="theguardian1">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/27/in-praise-of-ben-summerskill |title=In praise of … Ben Summerskill &#124; Editorial &#124; Opinion |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=2016-09-10 |archive-date=20 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820141324/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/27/in-praise-of-ben-summerskill |url-status=live }}</ref> the introduction of Civil Partnership for lesbian and gay people in the UK and the introduction in 2007 of protections against discrimination in the provision of "goods and services", covering areas from healthcare and housing to hotels and holidays.<ref>{{cite news |last=Womack |first=Sarah |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1540603/The-gay-lobby.html |title=The gay lobby |newspaper=Telegraph |date=2007-01-26 |access-date=2016-09-10 |archive-date=7 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107164946/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1540603/The-gay-lobby.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He also led a successful parliamentary campaign in 2007–08 for introduction of a criminal offence of incitement to homophobic hatred and a campaign in 2009–10 to enable gay people to celebrate civil partnerships in religious premises. He also restored Stonewall to financial good health after a number of very precarious years. (Its turnover was £1.4m in 2003, during which it ran a deficit of £117,000, and £5.3m by 2014, with reserves having risen from £11,000 in 2003 to £3.2m and staff numbers rising from 21 to 75.)<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130923065943/http://stonewall.org.uk/documents/stonewall_financial_overview_0312.pdf Stonewall Financial Overview], March 2012. Archived from the original on 23 Sep 2013</ref><ref>[http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Accounts/Ends55/0001101255_AC_20140930_E_C.pdf Stonewall Equality Limited: Trustees' annual report and financial statements For the year ended 30 September 2014] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107165554/http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Accounts/Ends55/0001101255_AC_20140930_E_C.pdf |date=7 November 2017 }}. [[Charity Commission for England and Wales|Charity Commission]]. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017</ref>

Under his direction, Stonewall's [[Diversity Champions]] programme, promoting good practice among major UK employers, grew from 35 to more than 600 members, employing 5.5 million people between them, ranging from [[IBM]] and [[Tesco]] to all of Britain's armed services and [[MI5]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stonewall.org.uk/at_work/diversity_champions_programme/diversity_champion_members/default.asp |title=Members of Stonewall's Diversity Champions programme |website=Stonewall.org.uk |date=10 August 2015 |access-date=2016-09-10 |archive-date=2 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140702050035/http://stonewall.org.uk/at_work/diversity_champions_programme/diversity_champion_members/default.asp |url-status=live }}</ref> Stonewall's Education for All programme, launched in 2005 to help tackle homophobic bullying in Britain's schools and universities, was supported by 70 major teaching and children's organisations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ghll.org.uk/partnership-projects/stonewall-education-champions-programme/ |title=Stonewall Education Champions Programme : Gloucestershire Healthy Living and Learning |website=Ghll.org.uk |date=2012-07-05 |access-date=2016-09-10 |archive-date=23 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160723174742/http://www.ghll.org.uk/partnership-projects/stonewall-education-champions-programme/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2006, Summerskill was appointed a Commissioner on the Britain's new [[Equality and Human Rights Commission]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://equalityhumanrights.com/en/aboutus/whoweare/pages/commissioners.aspx |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20081211181514/equalityhumanrights.com/en/aboutus/whoweare/pages/commissioners.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=2008-12-11 |title=[ARCHIVED CONTENT&#93; UK Government Web Archive – The National Archives |website=Webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk |access-date=2016-09-10}}</ref> He had for three years been a member of a Steering Group advising the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on establishing the commission, which has statutory powers for the first time to promote equality for lesbian and gay people. He was appointed an [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] (OBE) in the 2009 New Year Honours.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=58929 |date=31 December 2008 |page=12 |supp=y }}</ref> He was appointed to the committee of the [[Queen's Award for Voluntary Service]] in 2009.<ref>[http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100104232606/http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/documents/digitalasset/dg_181029.pdf Main Award Committee], April 2009.  Queen's Award for Voluntary Service. Archived from the original on 4 January 2010.</ref> In July 2009 Summerskill resigned as an EHRC commissioner citing differences over leadership with its chair [[Trevor Phillips]].<ref>{{cite news |author=Sam Jones and James Sturcke |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2009/jul/24/ben-summerskill-quits-ehrc |title=New resignation hits Equality and Human Rights Commission |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=24 July 2009 |access-date=1 November 2013 |location=London |archive-date=5 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105011329/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2009/jul/24/ben-summerskill-quits-ehrc |url-status=live }}</ref> Five other commissioners resigned at the same time.

In 2010 he was a finalist as Ernst & Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year and in 2011 he was shortlisted as Britain's Most Admired Charity Chief Executive in the Third Sector Awards.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://thirdsector.co.uk/news/Article/1085496/Six-sector-leaders-contention-Admired-Chief-Executive/ |title=Six sector leaders in contention to be Most Admired Chief Executive |publisher=Thirdsector.co.uk |date=18 August 2011 |access-date=1 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120730032934/http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/news/Article/1085496/Six-sector-leaders-contention-Admired-Chief-Executive/ |archive-date=30 July 2012 |df=dmy }}</ref>

In November 2011 Anthony Ryan, 42, received an eight-month prison sentence at Liverpool Crown Court after threatening to "put a bullet in the head" of Summerskill.<ref>{{cite news |author=James Meikle |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/sep/08/threatened-gay-rights-campaigner-sentence |title=Man who threatened to kill gay rights campaigner gets suspended sentence &#124; World news |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=2016-09-10 |archive-date=20 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820145317/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/sep/08/threatened-gay-rights-campaigner-sentence |url-status=live }}</ref> Ryan, whose sentence was suspended for 18 months, suggested that Summerskill start making "funeral arrangements".

In 2013 he was named by the ''Evening Standard'' as one of London's 1000 most influential people.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/the-power-1000-londons-most-influential-people-2013-crusaders-philanthropists-leaders-8826767.html |title=The Power 1000 - London's most influential people 2013: Crusaders, Philanthropists & leaders |date=19 September 2013 |newspaper=[[Evening Standard]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820164551/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/the-power-1000-londons-most-influential-people-2013-crusaders-philanthropists-leaders-8826767.html |archive-date=20 August 2017 |access-date=4 April 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> Summerskill stood down as chief executive of Stonewall in January 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stonewall.org.uk/media/current_releases/9413.asp |publisher=Stonewall |date=23 January 2014 |title=Ben Summerskill to step down as Chief Executive |access-date=23 January 2014 |archive-date=30 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140130131239/http://www.stonewall.org.uk/media/current_releases/9413.asp |url-status=live }}</ref> His resignation was marked by a ''Guardian'' editorial.<ref name="theguardian1" />

During his time at Stonewall, Summerskill attracted controversy over the organisation's decision not to campaign on transgender issues. The 2008 [[Stonewall Awards]] faced protests<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2008/11/07/celebs-split-over-trans-protests-at-stonewall-awards/|title=Celebs split over trans protest at Stonewall Awards|work=PinkNews|access-date=2017-10-12|language=en-US|archive-date=22 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170922024249/http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2008/11/07/celebs-split-over-trans-protests-at-stonewall-awards/|url-status=live}}</ref> from transgender rights activists, but Summerskill maintained that the organisation should exclusively campaign for "gay men, lesbians and bisexuals". The policy of excluding transgender issues was reviewed within months of his 2014 departure<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2014/09/01/video-stonewall-holds-historic-first-meeting-with-trans-activists/|title=Video: Stonewall holds historic first meeting with trans activists|work=PinkNews|access-date=2017-10-12|language=en-US|archive-date=12 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012095742/http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2014/09/01/video-stonewall-holds-historic-first-meeting-with-trans-activists/|url-status=live}}</ref> and eventually reversed.