Reform council will not support Pride, leader says

Displays celebrating Pride month have been replaced in libraries across part of Merseyside after a new Reform UK council leader announced the authority would not be engaging with the event in any way.

Members of the LGBTQ+ community and opposition parties in St Helens have expressed concern, with Labour accusing the administration of censorship.

Council leader George Woodward said he had instructed council officers to cease engagement with all aspects of Pride, including removing displays in libraries.

He said: "We don't consider celebrations of sexuality, especially those with left-wing political leanings such as Pride, to be appropriate for the council to dedicate valuable officer resources."

St Helens' Labour group, which ran the council until being heavily defeated in last month's local elections condemned the move.

It said it sent a "deeply damaging message to residents, particularly young people who rely on public services to feel seen, supported and safe."

Former council leader Anthony Burns said: "We understand the election result and respect the democratic right of the people to vote the way that they did, but to see these things happening within such a short space of time is really worrying."

A local drag artist, who performs under the name Dross, said: "Libraries should serve all people in their communities, yet staff have been told to remove all references to Pride & rainbows, books have all had to be removed from display."

Dross, who organised and led an independent march for St Helens Pride on Saturday, added that the atmosphere in St Helens was "tense" after the Reform-led council previously withdrew support for Refugee Week.

"This is an ongoing attack against marginalised communities in the borough," Dross said.

Woodward said he was "deeply concerned that Pride has become affiliated with harmful transgender ideology".

"As a council, we have a duty of care towards young children in the borough," he said.

"Being affiliated with a movement that often results in lifelong medical harm in young impressionable children is not the direction in which I want St Helens Council to travel."

Some LGBTQ+ people reject calling the campaign for transgender rights an "ideology", saying it leads to discrimination.

The BBC understands as well as being asked to remove pride displays, staff have been told to rebrand Pride events in libraries as "creative crafts".

Steve Rotheram, mayor of Liverpool City Region, said: "Pride is about celebrating the love people have for each other, and in a world full of madness, I think that is a good thing.

"It is up for local leaders to decide what to do in their communities. He doesn't like it - I do."

"We want to promote equality, diversity and we want to have a cohesive society that comes together and isn't divided and politicised".

Miguel Doforo founded St Helens Pride, which is not funded by the council, seven years ago.

He said: "If an establishment decides not to support an event, that's their political right and we carry on, but some of the comments made have been highly offensive.

"We have struggled for a long time to have a voice and be visible."

He said removing Pride displays was "withdrawing the rights of young people to be educated and possibly feel less isolated and alone".

"If I had seen something like that as a young person, it would have given me acceptance," he said.

In a statement, St Helens Council said: "The displays in question have been replaced with alternative displays.

"No books or other materials have been removed from the library catalogue or withdrawn from public access."

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