UKIP at Pride in London: What really happened?
Pride in London bosses say they will not resign for allowing UKIP to march in this year’s parade.
The presence of the LGBTQ group of the UK Independence Party, whose politicians have been widely accused of homophobia and racism, sparked weeks of controversy in the lead up to Pride day on 27 June.
They were first slated to participate, then banned, then on the day took part anyway.
Some LGBTI activists have signed an open letter suggesting Pride in London always wanted to sneak in the UKIP group, then went on TV to boast they had done so. They want board members, including chair Michael Salter, to resign.
Pride directors say LGBTQ UKIP forced its way into the march. Amid higher security after the Tunisia terrorist attack the day before, and on a hot day with the march delayed, they decided the safest option was to move them to a slightly different part of the parade but let them continue.
The open letter was co-authored by CN Lester and Jacq Applebee. Here we publish its claims and the Pride in London board’s response.
They say: UKIP was initially given permission to march, even though they didn’t sign the Pride in London charter everyone had to sign to enter the parade.
Pride says: The parade is open for application by any group or individual. Participants are not required to sign up to the Pride In London Pledge for politicians.
They say: Pride didn’t tell its own community advisory board or its black and minority ethnic representative it had accepted UKIP’s application to march. They refused to discuss UKIP’s inclusion.
Pride says: The directors admit they didn’t tell the advisory board UKIP was on the list of participants, as they don’t usually discuss the list with the board. But when the issue arose, they did seek advice from the CAB and listen to the community.
They say: Pride in London responded to community anger about UKIP taking part by banning them, assuring people they wouldn’t march.
Pride says: ‘We excluded UKIP from the parade out of concern for the safety of our volunteers. We faced equal levels of criticism from other parts of the community on free speech grounds following the decision to remove UKIP.’
They say: On Pride day, UKIP were ‘ushered into the march’ despite refusing to pay the entry fee, sign the charter or sign the agreement on good conduct. Security and stewards removed other groups who broke these rules, but not UKIP.
Pride says: ‘It is correct UKIP had not paid their parade fee by the deadline’. Pride agrees the party didn’t ‘meet the standards of the code of conduct for parade entrants’. On the day UKIP ‘broke into the parade’. Due to safety concerns, organizers decided ‘not to eject them but relocate the group in a less provocative position and ensure that the parade could continue’.
They say: The chair of Pride in London, Michael Salter, told the BBC Daily Politics show the organizers had ‘managed to get them [UKIP] safely into the parade’ and it was ‘great that they [UKIP] were able to participate’. This, they say, confirms the organizers deliberately put them in the parade.
Pride says: Pride in London did not ‘invite’ UKIP to take part and the party had promised not to but broke that promise on the day. Michael Salter was merely saying he was happy he was able to manage the parade safely despite UKIP’s actions.
They say: The Pride board have been silent about the ‘backtracking’.
Pride says: The board produced a report and wants the independent Community Advisory Board to provide advice on possible revised criteria for participation in Pride. It also wants to discuss the rules with the ‘wider community’.
Gay Star News has invited UKIP to comment and is awaiting a response.
Full disclosure: GSN is a media partner of Pride in London but undertakes to report fairly and impartially on it.
The post UKIP at Pride in London: What really happened? appeared first on Gay Star News.
Tris Reid-Smith
www.gaystarnews.com/article/ukip-at-pride-in-london-what-really-happened/
