Enfield Council's leader has defended the decision to not display a Pride flag outside the Civic Centre this month, claiming that the move ensures "clarity and consistency".
The Enfield Conservatives, in their election manifesto published before May’s local council elections, pledged to exclusively fly "the Union Flag, the Flag of St George, and the Enfield Beast flag" outside council buildings, a policy they claimed would "restore a sense of traditional civic pride".
Yet, the new minority Conservative administration is also flying the Armed Forces Day Flag this weekend.
Council leader Alessandro Georgiou, in a video posted on the local authority’s Facebook and X pages earlier this month, explained the three flags displayed were "permanent".
He added that the Armed Forces Day Flag was being flown to mark a special occasion to "celebrate our brave men and women in the armed forces".
Pride Month is observed every June in numerous countries globally, including the UK. It serves as a means of celebrating the LGBTQ+ community and underlining the importance of championing their rights.
The ‘Progress’ Pride flagJoe Ives/LDRSIt also commemorates the 1969 Stonewall riots, a series of protests widely regarded as a pivotal turning point for the gay rights movement in the United States and beyond.
Under the previous Labour administration, the Pride flag was typically flown in the month of June.
A spokesperson for Enfield Labour criticised the decision not to fly the flag at Enfield Civic Centre this year.
They described Cllr Georgiou’s decision as “a slap in the face to the LGBT community across Enfield” and said that Labour “was and is proud to stand with Enfield’s LGBTQ+ community”.
Before May’s election, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) spoke to Cllr Georgiou about the issue, when the Conservative leader suggested he wouldn’t be against flying a Pride flag.
New Conservative council leader Alessandro GeorgiouJoe Ives/LDRSHowever, in a statement this week, Cllr Georgiou said: “This decision reflects a clear and consistent policy that the flags flown permanently outside the civic centre represent our borough, our nation and our country, and those who serve it and defend our freedoms.
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“These flags represent every resident of Enfield, regardless of their background, beliefs, ethnicity, faith, sexual orientation or identity.
“The council will continue to celebrate and support the diversity that makes Enfield such a vibrant place to live, work and raise a family. That commitment is demonstrated through our policies, services, partnerships and engagement with local communities.
“This policy is intended to provide clarity and consistency. We are proud to represent and serve all Enfield residents, equally.”
The council also says it will be celebrating Enfield’s LGBTQ+ community next month through Chroma: A Festival of Pride at Dugdale Arts Centre. The music festival promises to spotlight “LGBTQI+ artists, voices and communities” on Saturday, 18th July.