A Reform UK-led council has ignited a fierce political row after immediately stopping the Pride flag from being flown and cutting annual support for local LGBTQ+ events.
The decision was confirmed during a full Gateshead Council meeting, where the newly elected Reform UK leadership announced that the authority would no longer fund or publicly promote future Pride celebrations. The move marks a major shift for the local council, which has historically contributed around £12,500 a year to help support Pride events in the town.
Council leader Nick Allan told the chamber that Reform UK had no issue with individuals choosing to support Pride personally. However, he argued that the celebration itself was not something the administration should be responsible for backing through council resources.
The announcement sparked an immediate and highly visible backlash inside the council chamber. Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green councillors staged a direct protest, wearing Pride colours and covering their benches with rainbow flags in response to the decision.
Local LGBTQ+ charity OUT North East confirmed that funding for this year’s event had already been received before the announcement was made. Even so, the charity’s chief executive, Peter Darrant, described the wider move as deeply regrettable. He warned that the decision appeared to have been taken without a full understanding of the value Pride brings to both the local community and the economy.
Opposition councillors also voiced concern over the message the decision sends to LGBTQ+ residents in Gateshead. Labour councillor Shaun Edge gave an emotional response, saying the move could leave local people feeling isolated and unsupported.
He told colleagues that previous generations had fought to be heard and accepted, adding that he now felt he would have to continue that same fight simply to live equally alongside others.
The decision has intensified debate over the direction of Reform UK-led local authorities, especially after similar comments from Reform figures in neighbouring Sunderland, where the party also pledged not to fly the Pride flag.
Supporters of the Gateshead decision argue that councils should focus on core services rather than funding public celebrations. Critics, however, say Pride is not just a festival, but a visible statement of inclusion, safety and recognition for communities that have long faced discrimination.
For Gateshead, the row is unlikely to fade quickly. What began as a council funding decision has now become a symbolic battle over identity, representation and the role local government should play in supporting minority communities.
The Pride flag may no longer fly from the council under Reform UK’s leadership — but the reaction inside the chamber showed the debate is far from over.
