Reform bans Essex libraries from LGTBQ pride promotion
Education: Secondary / Tue 2nd Jun 2026 at 12:55pm
ESSEX libraries have been ordered not to promote LGBTQ and inclusive pride and events, sparking anger from campaigners. The new Reform UK leadership at Essex County Council has told staff not to promote the inclusive events reports the Local Democracy Reporter.
June is known as pride month, with plenty of LGBTQ pride and other events being held – the event bosses say it’s still vital for inclusivity. A senior councillor says the authority “needs to be careful not to highlight any particular groups or themes”, as staff at the libraries have spoken to campaigners about the change.
A spokesman for Save Our Libraries Essex said: “This is very disturbing and alarming news. What possible reason is there not to display pride promotional material – it’s not as if it’s costing the library service anything – other than pure prejudice? It’s not just bigotry, it’s anti-business. Pride gets people out and spending money in our towns and cities. Where will this end up?”
Shaun Marchant, Green party candidate in the local elections in Braintree, also raised concerns about the ban on libraries displaying or promoting the LGBTQ pride. He added: “What’s next removing of books? I’d love to hear from Reform UK or Essex County Council to justify why this was necessary? His Facebook post has seen more than 518 comments and 77 shares.
It comes after a Facebook user posted online questioning why LGTBQ pride in Chelmsford was needed, showing a poster for the event. A number of others joined the conversation, with some saying the poster should be taken down.
Chris Hossack, Reform UK councillor for residents and community services, at Essex County Council, said: “Our libraries are spaces for everybody, for reading, learning and enjoyment in unity, and their shelves recognise authors and books and resources spanning a huge range of subjects, which we will endeavour to maintain.
“With this in mind, we need to be careful not to highlight any particular groups or themes, so, mindful of this, and unless the activity is specific to libraries, we have taken a decision to pause promotion of such events at libraries via the council’s public-facing communication channels, including social media.”
Rennie
2026-06-02 14:01:58
Fantastic news let’s stop all this virtue signalling nonsense.
Lanie Shears
2026-06-02 14:02:59
I am deeply concerned by reports that Essex libraries have been instructed not to promote Pride events or display Pride-related information. Libraries are public spaces that exist to serve everyone in our communities. Preventing them from advertising events or information relevant to LGBTQ+ residents sends a troubling message about whose experiences and identities are considered worthy of recognition. Many people warned that Reform's approach to cultural and equality issues could lead to decisions like this, and it is difficult not to see this as part of a wider pattern. We have already seen symbolic decisions such as the removal of the Ukrainian flag from County Hall. Pride is not simply a celebration. It is also a recognition of the struggles LGBTQ+ people have faced and continue to face. Libraries should be places where people can access information, learn about different communities, and feel represented. Restricting the visibility of Pride risks undermining those values. Essex should be a county that welcomes diversity, promotes inclusion and reflects the full range of people who live here. Decisions that reduce the visibility of LGBTQ+ communities move us in the opposite direction. Even if this may seem like a small change to some, it raises important questions about what comes next and whether we are beginning to see a narrowing of the openness and inclusivity that public institutions should uphold. Essex County Council should reconsider this approach and ensure that libraries remain spaces that serve, support and represent all members of our community.
Bob
2026-06-02 14:14:33
So are they going to ban the promotion of Halloween or Christmas books? After all ", we need to be careful not to highlight any particular groups or themes" incase that offends people who don't celebrate them. It's pure bigotry, and rhetoric funded by Christian fundamentalists from America. Reform can go to hell.
This Makes Me So Sad
2026-06-02 14:22:49
Can anyone give genuine reasoning for singling out Pride month that is not discriminatory? If you are not interested in Pride you need not engage but why prevent libraries from promoting their events to the audience that would appreciate them. I thought Reform were meant to be about common sense and business-like approaches. Libraries have already planned events and activities and displays, preventing them from linking to the National campaign of Pride Month is foolish and the adjustments staff will be making will be wasting time and money. Not to mention the message this gives to our LGBTQ+ friends and library staff themselves about what groups we choose to support and highlight or in this case don't.
Seamus
2026-06-02 14:59:27
I suppose it largely depends on wether you genuinely believe in equality. We have gay pride month and we have black history month. Now if you believe every ying must have a yang, then we should also have a straight pride month and white history months as well. Now, that is what equality looks like but in reality, all 4 promote we are all equal but some are more equal than others, which of course is not equality. It shouldn't matter if you are gay, straight, black or white because to label people, is the exact opposite of equality. Now, imagine if we genuinely in publicly owned buildings, just saw people as people and gave good service to all, wouldn't that be equality ?
Lanie Shears
2026-06-02 15:26:57
Seamus. Equality doesn't mean pretending everyone's history and experiences are the same. Black History Month exists because Black people's contributions were often overlooked or excluded from mainstream accounts of history. Pride exists because LGBTQ+ people faced criminalisation, discrimination and exclusion for generations, and transgender people still face significant discrimination and hostility today. The purpose isn't to suggest that some groups are "more equal" than others. It's to recognise people whose experiences have often been marginalised and to ensure they are visible, represented and included. I agree that public services should serve everyone equally. That's precisely why libraries should be able to acknowledge and reflect the diversity of the communities they serve, including LGBTQ+ people and ethnic minorities. Inclusion isn't the opposite of equality; it's one of the ways we achieve it.
Seamus
2026-06-02 15:52:05
I will politely disagree with you Lanie. Labels are for clothes, not people.
Adam
2026-06-02 16:23:40
Seamus is right it is time to end these labels, they do nothing but divide. But some people politicians etc do well out of pushing division, labels and pandering, to secure votes.
Bazza
2026-06-02 17:26:59
It’s a library for books not a place to promote different sexualities. Who cares if you’re gay or not? Get your book read it and live happy.. I don’t care if you are gay or straight but if you push it in my face I will get annoyed.
Hannah
2026-06-02 20:11:07
The comment from the counsellor makes no sense as libraries can host events and activities and have displays and highlight books on all sorts of different themes as they always have but the only thing they are being told not to promote is Pride during Pride month! If you are not interested in Pride ignore the content but don’t prevent it existing for the people who do want it!! If you think libraries don’t or shouldn’t highlight a variety of themes or groups I’d say you do not understand or use libraries at all.
Mike
2026-06-02 21:12:25
So petty. So stupid. So Reform. And sadly, a sign of worse things to come with Reform in charge.
Mr George
2026-06-02 22:29:51
And so it begins.... you get what you vote for.
David Forman
2026-06-03 12:13:12
Lanie Shears' first comment makes a lot of sense and is well argued. The best contribution she has made in a long time. If only she had done this more regularly whilst being a Labour councillor. Now she no longer has to tow the Keir Starmer line she can be true to her beliefs.
smiler
2026-06-03 12:45:58
Nothing has been banned. You can still read what you want. In fact thanks to Reform they have scrapped the proposed book reservation charges, so you can reserve your favourite Lgbt book for free.
Cora McG
2026-06-06 07:59:22
Well, if I take him at his word, he has just banned Remembrance/Poppy Day displays. Jk. Of course he hasn't. You can't trick people who can read with that cloddish rhetoric. Very bored of people who cloak their hate in the language of fairness while ignoring the unfairness of the status quo they are pushing for. Nasty to the core. Still, it lets librarians get creative to thumb their nose at the letter of the ban. And they will
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