The leader of the Reform UK group on North Yorkshire Council says Pride flags would no longer be flown on the authority’s buildings if the party takes control of the council at next year’s local elections.
The comments by Councillor Tom Seston come amid a spat over the council’s support for Pride Month and the reaction to a social media post showing the Pride flag flying at County Hall in Northallerton.
The exchange began after Labour councillor Kirsty Poskitt, independent councillor for Tadcaster, wrote to all North Yorkshire councillors expressing concern about comments posted beneath the council’s Facebook video of the Pride flag.
In the exchange seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Cllr Poskitt said she was pleased the authority continued to show support for LGBTQ+ communities, “more so now against the backdrop of the decision other local authorities have taken to remove any visible signs of Pride.”
But she described the comments on the council’s Facebook page as “utterly abhorrent and deeply concerning”, adding that young LGBTQ+ people continued to face discrimination and poor mental health.
In her email, she urged Reform councillors to publicly challenge intolerance, asking members to note how many of the comments mentioned “Reform or Restore”, adding: “Not any other party, just those two parties.”
The councillor added: “I would like to appeal directly to my fellow members who represent the Reform Party to call out this kind of intolerance and prejudice, there is power in your influence and your words.
“As a collective of people, we support and promote robust debate, to disagree, to be passionate about our causes or our political beliefs, but we must stand completely united against this hatred and violent rhetoric.”
In response, Cllr Seston, who represents the Eastfield division, said he had reviewed the Facebook comments and disputed suggestions that they contained violent rhetoric.
He said he had found only one reference to Reform UK and no references to Restore Britain — but Labour was mentioned twice.
He added that while Reform was not currently responsible for the council’s social media, the party would adopt a different approach to flags if it forms the administration after the May 2027 elections.
Cllr Seston wrote: “If we are in a position of authority this time next year, I can assure you that we will avoid this situation by only flying the Union flag, county flag, English flag, Armed Forces flags, relevant civic and heritage flags and on the occasion of a visiting foreign dignitary, that relevant flag.”
He said the policy was intended to avoid flying what he described as “identity flags”, arguing it would send the message that the council supports all residents and visitors equally throughout the year.
Cllr Seston added that he was “very sympathetic to the LGBT community” but believed the priority should be improving services rather than symbolic gestures.
“A flag gesture towards any single group won’t help us towards this aim,” he wrote.
He also questioned whether flying Pride flags or changing corporate logos during Pride Month amounted to “virtue signalling”, arguing that support for LGBTQ+ people should not be confined to a single month.
He added: “When the flags come down and the logos change, do we not still support the LGBT community?
“Do we support the LGBT community more this month and less last month or do we support them the same as we support the whole North Yorkshire community all year round?”
The council on the social media post featuring the flag: “We’ve been proudly flying the Pride flag throughout June to celebrate and support LGBTQ+ communities.
“From Monday, 22 June, we will raise the Armed Forces Day flag to honour our serving personnel, veterans, cadets and military families.”
The authority said it moderates its social media channels in line with its moderation policy.
Comments still showing on the post this week include several questioning if the council flies a flag for “straight” people.
Some comments also question why the council is not flying the Union flag, with others pointing out that this flag is flown permanently at County Hall.
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