Members of the Rochford LGBTQ+ community are fighting for their right to celebrate Pride after the local council, now controlled by Reform, imposed a ban on Pride events and flags in libraries. According to Chris Taylor, a member of the community, they had already noticed an increase in divisive rhetoric around identity before the May elections. However, the scale of the ban, affecting 74 libraries across Essex, has come as a shock. The community feels unwelcome under the new leadership, with one member describing the situation as "straight out of Trumpland." The ban reflects a broader trend of conservative policies being implemented by Reform, which gained control of Essex county council in May.
This move has significant implications for the LGBTQ+ community in Rochford and Essex, who now face restrictions on expressing their identity. The community's fight for Pride events and visibility highlights the tension between local governance and community rights.
SOURCE: The Guardian World, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/14/lgbtq-pride-rochford-essex-council-library-ban-reform-uk