Uproar as London’s only Reform council cancels Pride flag ceremony

London’s only Reform UK council has cancelled its Pride flag ceremony just three days ahead of the event, and its residents are not impressed.

The borough of Havering hosts a Pride flag ceremony each June, in which a rainbow flag is flown outside the town hall to mark the beginning of Pride Month.

This year, however, the new council cancelled the event due to take place on 5 June, following instructions from Reform UK not to fly any flags other than the Union flag or the St George’s Cross in Reform council areas.

Speaking to Metro, Havering’s council leader, Keith Prince, said that the only flags the council is willing to fly are those that “recognise our heroes like the armed forces”.

Carrie Kendall, a Havering resident who has lived in the borough her whole life, told Metro that the area “no longer feels like home”.

“I always noticed when the Pride flag went up as early as 2016 and it made me happy, because visibility is so important,” she said. “Now I am worried the council’s actions will lead people to think homophobia is permissible.”

‘LGBTQ+ visibility isn’t just about the photo opportunity’

A spokesperson for Kaleidoscope Trust, an LGBTQ+ charity, told the Havering Daily: “LGBTQ+ visibility isn’t just about the photo opportunity and a pastry after packing away the flags.

“At Kaleidoscope we strive to create inclusive and creative LGBTQ+ spaces throughout the year through workshops and an independent film festival. The lack of a Pride flag at the Town Hall is devastating, but it will not erase the LGBTQ+ community in Havering.”

Havering’s Green Party chair, Mark Whiley, also spoke to the local publication about the matter.

“In the face of heightened media hostility, online abuse and on the streets it is important that the LGBTQ+ community and its allies are both seen and heard in our borough over Pride,” he said.

“Havering Greens, many of us LGBTQ+, will continue to be loud and visible champions for LGBTQ+ equality, and in particular to challenge the push to exclude trans and non-binary people from spaces they use every day and in crisis situations.”

Despite the pushback on the flag, Havering residents were still able to celebrate Pride. Members of the Havering Aligned Residents Association teamed up with representatives from Havering Labour and trade unions and charities to come together and mark the occasion, reported the Havering Daily.

Stephanie Nunn, the Diversity and Equality Councillor for Havering Aligned Resident Association, said: “We represent residents, businesses and staff, we are inclusive and wish to show support for all groups that have not been treated equally or fairly in the past and stop this pattern of behaviour continuing.”

“I am disappointed that the Reform Administration at Havering Council have refused to fly the Pride Flag, when openly saying they support our Armed Forces community,” added Barry Mugglestone, the councillor for Elm Park.

“We need to remember that now lesbian, gay, bisexual personnel are fully integrated and welcome to serve openly in the UK Armed Forces.”

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