Friday, 5 June 2026
Hebden Bridge councillor challenges Calderdale's refusal to fly the Pride flag
Hebden Bridge Calderdale Councillor, Sarah Courtney says people have asked her whether Calderdale Council will be flying a Pride flag from any of its buildings to celebrate LGBT+ Pride Month (1-30 June).
She asked Dan Sutherland, Reform's Council Leader, and his Cabinet, this question, and explained how Pride flags help promote inclusion and act as a visible marker of safety, solidarity and allyship.
"There is clear and recurrent evidence from population-based surveys in England, and a growing body of research and peer-review published evidence in a UK context that LGBT+ people experience worse health inequalities.
"Measures to promote inclusion can help toward improving the health and wellbeing of people who face discrimination. While it does not single-handedly erase systemic discrimination, flying a Pride flag is a low-cost, high-impact action that provides comfort to vulnerable individuals, normalises diversity, and challenges social stigma.
"It communicates that LGBT+ identities are respected and that inclusion is a shared community responsibility. This reassurance reduces anxiety about discrimination and encourages people to seek services or support, improves trust and encourages community-building.
"The Pride flag does not exclude anybody, it just signifies that everyone is welcome. Sadly, Cllr Sutherland and the new administration have refused to fly the Pride flag from any council buildings during Pride Month, including at Shibden Hall, an iconic place and the setting for Sally Wainwright's hugely successful Gentleman Jack TV series. It was the home of Anne Lister, whose life and diaries have given Halifax and Calderdale an international place in LGBT+ history. Visitors travel from across the UK and around the world to learn about her life and legacy.
"Instead, the Reform administration has argued that only the Union Flag can represent everyone in Calderdale and that other flags and symbols can be divisive.
"I respectfully disagree. The Pride flag does not diminish anyone else's identity, nor does it exclude anyone. It is a symbol of visibility, dignity and belonging for communities that have had to fight for recognition, equality and acceptance.
"Mike Stephens, one of the people who had asked me about Pride flags, has responded - 'Cllr Sutherland's dismissal of this as a distraction and "identity politics" speaks volumes about the attitude of this new administration. For the thousands of LGBT+ residents, their families and allies in Calderdale, this isn't abstract politics - it's about feeling welcome, valued and safe in the place they call home.' "
Happy Valley Pride's 10th Anniversary festival will run from the 18th to the 26th July 2026