Reform UK council bans Essex libraries from promoting LGBTQ+ events
Pride flags in a library (stock image via Getty Images)
The Reform UK leadership at Essex County Council has banned Essex libraries from promoting LGBTQ+ and Pride events.
The libraries had originally planned to host a range of inclusive LGBTQ+ events to mark this year’s Pride Month, but a senior councillor has said that the council “needs to be careful not to highlight any particular groups or themes”, according to the Yellow Advertiser.
Chris Hossack, who is a councillor for Brentwood North, said: “Our libraries are spaces for everybody, for reading, learning and enjoyment in unity, and their shelves recognise authors and books and resources spanning a huge range of subjects, which we will endeavour to maintain.”
Hossack went on to say that the authority should not highlight specific groups. “Unless the activity is specific to libraries, we have taken a decision to pause promotion of such events at libraries via the council’s public-facing communication channels, including social media,” he continued.
‘It’s not just bigotry, it’s anti-business’
A spokesperson for Save Our Libraries Essex told the publication of the ban: “This is very disturbing and alarming news. What possible reason is there not to display Pride promotional material – it’s not as if it’s costing the library service anything – other than pure prejudice?”
He continued: “It’s not just bigotry, it’s anti-business. Pride gets people out and spending money in our towns and cities. Where will this end up?”
The ban comes less than a year after the Reform UK council for Durham withdrew funding for the city’s 2026 Pride celebrations.
In August 2025, Durham County Council’s deputy leader, Darren Grimes, slammed the planned Pride event, stating that the funding will instead be diverted to services that aren’t “contested causes”.
Durham Pride has been running since 2014, and has been growing ever since. The event welcomed 20,000 people to its county-wide celebrations in 2023.
The council invested up to £10,000 in last year’s event, which attracted several thousand attendees. However, the Reform administration still withdrew its support for this year’s festivities.
At the time, Councillor Grimes said, as reported by Northern Echo: “Durham Pride won’t be getting a single penny from this council next year.”
Happily, Durham Pride 2026 was ultimately able to go ahead when trade unions banded together to raise money and save the festival.
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