Six New EHRC Commissioners Appointed to Equality Board
Six new commissioners have been appointed to the board of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, better known as the EHRC. On paper, that can sound like one of those official updates most people scroll past. In practice, it matters because the EHRC helps enforce equality law in Great Britain and can make its own decisions on enforcement action and investigations. In the government announcement, Bridget Phillipson, the Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities, said fairness and equality are central to the Government's work. Her message was that the commission needs a strong board if it is to do one of the hardest jobs in public life: protect rights in ways that are practical, lawful and trusted by the public.
If you are not fully sure what the EHRC does, you are not alone. The commission is Britain's independent equality and human rights regulator. According to the government statement, it regulates equality law across Great Britain, upholds human rights in England and Wales, and makes its own decisions on enforcement and investigations. **What this means:** when debates about discrimination or fair treatment move beyond slogans and into real cases, the EHRC is one of the bodies that can step in. Its work affects how rights are understood in everyday life, including at work, in housing, in education and in public services.
That is why commissioners matter. A board is not just there for appearances. The people on it help set direction, scrutinise decisions and shape the kind of expertise the regulator brings to difficult issues. When equality law or human rights protections come under strain, the make-up of the board can influence how firmly and how clearly the commission responds. The Government says the six new appointees bring experience from national charities, the corporate and public sectors, law and policy. That range matters because equality and rights questions rarely stay in one lane. They turn up in schools, police forces, workplaces, media organisations, welfare systems and the courts.
The new commissioners are Martyn Jones, David Carrigan, Polly Neate, Jemima Olchawski, Sunder Katwala and Susan Kemp. Martyn Jones is Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager at South Wales Police and currently interim chair of the EHRC Wales Committee. His past roles include leading Learning Disability Wales and Diverse Cymru, and he has also served as a Presiding Justice. David Carrigan brings more than 25 years of work on equality, human rights and social mobility, with experience across housing, policing, media and technology. Polly Neate, a crossbench peer in the House of Lords, is well known for her time as chief executive of Shelter and Women's Aid, and now works as a coach and strategic adviser while serving as a trustee for Young Women's Trust and Women in Sport.
Jemima Olchawski joins the board from Mind, where she is Executive Director of Social Impact. She previously led the Fawcett Society and Agenda, served on the Ministry of Justice's Advisory Board on Female Offenders and helped lead the campaign for the Workers Protection Act. Sunder Katwala, director of British Future, brings a background in think tanks, journalism and publishing, including earlier work at the Fabian Society, The Observer and the Foreign Policy Centre. Susan Kemp is an international lawyer and adviser whose experience includes the Scottish Human Rights Commission, the United Nations, civil society groups and international organisations working on the rule of law and human rights.
The recruitment process began before this announcement. On 3 November 2025, the Minister for Women and Equalities opened a full recruitment campaign for at least four commissioners. Most of the new appointees have already begun their terms, while Susan Kemp and Polly Neate are due to join the board on 1 November so that terms are staggered rather than ending at the same time. There is still some unfinished recruitment around the devolved roles. Martyn Jones will continue to chair the Wales Committee while ministers work with the devolved governments to appoint a permanent Wales Commissioner. In Scotland, Alasdair Henderson's term has been extended by 12 months until 26 April 2027, and he will carry out the role of Scotland Commissioner while longer-term recruitment continues.
The announcement also confirms that Ali Harris and Shazia Choudhry will continue as interim commissioners for two years. That may sound like a small administrative detail, but stability matters in a regulator. Public confidence is easier to build when there is continuity as well as new thinking. One final point is worth keeping in view. The EHRC is an independent non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Office for Equality and Opportunity in the Cabinet Office. **What this means:** ministers appoint commissioners, but the commission is meant to make its own calls on enforcement and investigations. For all of us, that is the bigger story. These appointments are not just about seats around a board table; they help shape how equality law and human rights are defended across Great Britain.