The push for gender equality has forced many men to change their tune. Now it has gone beyond golf clubs and dinner societies to target a male voice choir.

Members of the Derbyshire Constabulary choir decried political correctness yesterday after the area’s chief constable severed all ties with them.

Peter Goodman, who took over the force last summer, had told the choir to accept women or face losing its 60-year association with the police service. After concluding that a mixed group would take years to establish, the choir said that it would change its name later this year to the Derbyshire Community Male Voice Choir.

Kevin Griffiths, its chairman, accused Mr Goodman of trying to deflect attention from the force’s gender pay gap. “Derbyshire has