Council's LGBTQ+ staff find Reform UK flag policy 'unsettling'

LGBTQ+ staff at Warwickshire County Council have spoken of the “deeply unsettling” impact of Reform UK’s proposed flag policy at the authority.

- By MATT LLOYD and ANDY MITCHELL

The Cabinet, formed of Reform councillors, passed a motion placing control of which flags fly at Shire Hall in the hands of the council chairman, rather than the chief executive.

The move came following a demand from new leader George Finch that the LGBTQ progress pride flag be taken down in June. The council chief executive refused.

Following the passing of the new proposed policy, a letter authored by Angela Dunne, chair of Warwickshire County Council's LGBTQ+ staff network, urged that Reform UK’s new flag policy be modified to restore the Progress Pride flag to the standard schedule throughout June - Pride month.

The flag had been displayed for several years with the council's chief executive Monica Fogarty having been granted delegated powers to determine what was flown at the front of the building.

Nevertheless, new leader Councillor George Finch (Reform UK, Bedworth Central) demanded that the Progress Pride flag be removed before June’s conclusion this year.