The new leader of a Merseyside Reform UK council has announced that the local authority will no longer support Pride events in the borough. Councillor George Woodward, who became leader of St Helens Council after his party won the local elections last month, has instructed council officers to cease engagement with all aspects of Pride. This follows a previous decision to scrap support for Refugee Week events.
Council Withdraws Support for Pride
In a statement on social media, Cllr Woodward said: "We don't consider celebrations of sexuality, especially those with left-wing political leanings such as Pride, to be appropriate for St Helens Borough Council to dedicate valuable officer resources." He also expressed concerns about "harmful transgender ideology" and the duty of care towards young children. Despite the council's withdrawal, a successful Pride event was held last weekend at the World of Glass venue, funded by community groups and donations without council involvement.
Backlash from Labour MPs
The decision has drawn strong criticism from local Labour MPs. St Helens North MP David Baines said: "Reform won the election so they have every right to make decisions like this. But instead of stoking culture wars, they should focus on bringing people together and addressing real issues like SEND and traffic problems." St Helens South and Whiston MP Marie Rimmer expressed concern about the impact on LGBTQ+ people, noting that they already face disproportionately high rates of poor mental health and suicide.
Cllr Woodward defended the move as putting "British people first." The council has also instructed library teams to remove references to Pride from council libraries.
