As a Conservative, I believe in individual liberty, personal responsibility, and the duty of public institutions to serve all citizens. That includes standing up for the rights and freedoms of minority groups—quietly, respectfully, and without fanfare.

Flying the Pride flag during designated awareness weeks, from the inner-quadrangle of County Hall, isn’t about ideology. It’s a recognition of the fundamental British principle that people should be free to live without fear or discrimination. It’s about equal treatment under the law. That’s not radical—that’s the foundation of a civilised society.

Reform’s proposal to remove the Pride flag, among others from outside County Hall is blatantly dishonest – the previous Conservative administration already restricted flag flying outside County Hall three years ago. However, Reform want to go a step further and want to effectively veto the flying of awareness flags flown in the inner quadrangle, already out of sight of members of the public. They may claim to promote neutrality, but in practice, this act removes a visible gesture of support for residents who still face real challenges. It sends the wrong message: that acknowledging those struggles is somehow political.

Common sense tells us Reform doesn’t understand what their priorities are: flags or a budget deficit, or potholes, or pavements? They prefer slogans and meaningless gestures, rather than addressing the priorities that concern the people of Leicestershire. Their leader can’t even provide a rational argument for what they’re proposing other than saying that they’re saving money because someone won’t have to raise the flag and less flags mean less cupboard space; and the deputy leader just says it’s ‘common sense’ without, as usual, any real comprehension of the issues.

The irony in all this is that Reform bleats on about woke, leftie cancel culture, stopping this and opposing that, and what are they doing? They’re nothing but loud mouth hypocrites, the pub bore who’s got an answer for everything and not a hope of resolving anything.

Conservatism, at its best, defends liberty, fairness, and the quiet strength of public duty. We should be proud to affirm that every resident of Leicestershire, and those who work at County Hall, deserve dignity and respect under the law. That’s not political correctness—it’s good governance.

Let’s keep important cause flags flying, like the Pride flag, when it’s time to do so —not as a political symbol, but as a commitment to the freedoms we all cherish.