0:00
Good morning. Let's start with you, Harrison. Is this going to be the theme for reform councils
0:07
looking at ways of cutting back on things like Pride Parade that are not seen as essential council services
0:14
Do you know, I don't think it's the fact that it's a Pride Parade. I think personally
0:19
I think many people will be in favour of any sort of celebration. It's just the case of how it's funded
0:23
And I think in which the climate in which so many councils and probably all councils are in
0:27
we're all strapped for cash and i think most people will be asking okay what is the main
0:32
priority of this council and the main priority is to make sure that funds are going to essential
0:37
services so i think that is the first priority of any local association so i think personally
0:44
it's not really about having that celebration whether you know cancelling or not as we've seen
0:49
there are very very corporate companies that love talking about and sponsoring pride i don't think
0:54
it be that hard personally to find those fundamentals where i don't know why the reliance
0:58
has to be an already strapped for cash councils who need to try and deliver their primary service
1:03
which is delivering services uh for you know for those who live there okay it's not a primary
1:08
responsibility lewis um that uh we're being told there what do you think look i think that the
1:16
council should be funding pride not the whole thing but at least putting money towards it
1:20
I think in this particular instance as well, I mean, let's not forget that
1:24
a lot of the stuff they're talking about, you know funding from local businesses, that is already
1:28
being done, and as anyone that's ever been involved in a Pride parade will tell you, most people are
1:34
working for free, it's all run by volunteers so a little bit of seed money from the council
1:38
will go a very long way for that I think this is about the principle of the thing and it interesting this comes from reform because actually I think the fact that we have Pride parades is about the best of British There are still 64 countries in the world where it illegal to be gay
1:51
12 of which where you can face the death penalty for it. The fact that we as the UK say we don't do that
1:56
and actually you needn't fear walking the streets because of who you love here. We actually put on a parade and celebrate it
2:03
That's great. But Lewis, don't you think it's become increasingly political over recent years
2:07
because it isn't just about civil rights for gay people. There has been the trans movement that's been deeply involved with this now
2:14
and that's very, very controversial. A lot of people, me included, completely disagree with the idea that men can become women
2:20
And why should a council fund such a political statement as that? Listen, if we want to get into some of the rights and wrongs of what's happened over the last few years
2:28
we'll need a podcast to do that. But in this debate, which is about the principle of should councils be funding it
2:35
I will say this as well. prides bring money to local areas is it about an investment so yes you might spend a little bit of
2:41
money but people come and they have to pay for parking they have to pay for food they have to
2:45
pay for a hotel to stay in that brings a lot of money to a local area so it's not about oh they're
2:50
taking out the pot and then we've got no money back actually it's an investment and in this
2:54
particular instance what we're talking about suffered um pride there's they've saved 1 700
2:59
pounds by saying they're not funding pride that's not massive amounts of money that's not anything
3:04
You're not going to get any bins collected at £1,700. It's political theatre
3:08
They want to say, oh, we've got our doge. We're anti-woke. We got rid of our pride. Yeah
3:14
You saved £1,700. I challenge you to do some actual work. I'm just on that
3:19
I say, like I said, in my opinion, it's not about cancelling pride. I think, look, having any sort of celebration in this country regardless is a good thing
