DUP and UUP ‘holding Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon borough back’ after voting against Pride motion, says Alliance

The full motion put forward by Alliance Councillor Peter Lavery and seconded by Councillor Jessica Johnston read:

“This council recognises the contribution made to our borough by LGBTQ+ citizens and rejects all forms of discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community.

“To show our support for equality and acceptance, this Council commits to exploring participation in LGBTQ+/Pride events including: exploring with the organisers of Belfast Pride for Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council to participate in their parade with other public bodies on an annual basis and; exploring the possibility of organising a local event to mark Pride in our borough at an appropriate point in the calendar year on an annual basis.”

At Monday night's council meeting, the proposal had 15 votes in favour by Alliance, SDLP and Sinn Fein councillors, however, 21 votes were cast against the motion by DUP and UUP councillors, alongside Cllr Paul Berry.

Speaking after the vote, Councillor Lavery said: “This motion would have gone a long way to recognise the valuable contribution LGBTQ+ citizens make to our borough, to promote diversity and inclusion, and show our support for equality.

“It is absolutely outrageous that the UUP teamed up with the DUP to block this motion. Their complete inability to embrace a spirit of inclusion is hugely disappointing and is holding our borough back.

“Alliance will always stand up for equality, and we will continue to push for Council’s programme of events to embrace diversity in the next mandate.”

The DUP Grouping on ABC Council stated that they would not vote in favour of 'grandstanding hypocrisy'.

“The Alliance Party has repeatedly sought to sow division on the Council and especially so in the run up to the Council election. This is another such example,” a spokesperson said.

"The recent census figures reveal that Northern Ireland has the lowest proportion of LGB people in the UK at 2.1% of the population. With this in mind, there has been a massive drive by Council in recent months to provide the considerable staffing base with a pay rise and changes in terms and conditions and this has resulted in a huge cost cutting drive, the very heavy use of council reserve finances and also a rise in our rates.

"The Alliance party and indeed others have been very quick to slam DUP motions and proposals that see direct benefit brought to the rate payer and the citizens of the Borough, one such example was the very fitting programme of events for our dear late Queen Elizabeth.

"Those same parties tried to unsuccessfully slash the very suitable budget for this programme of celebrations. Now they propose staff participation in marches outside of the ABC Borough where agreement amongst the staff base does not exist and they call for events to be staged yearly with no regard for costs. We simply will not vote for this post-election grandstanding hypocrisy.”

TUV Lagan River council candidate Samuel Morrison said:

“This decision is a sensible and welcome one. Across the council ordinary people are having to make savings and tighten their belts financially yet here we had Alliance calling for additional cost to ratepayers on an annual basis without any thought for what the cost would be.

"Recently the council found itself unable to provide the most basic of services to ratepayers when, for months, bins went un-emptied and rubbish piled up on our roadsides. Yet now Alliance wanted the council to find the money to host an annual pride event.

"If there was any real appetite for such an event in our council area those involved would be well able to organise it themselves without having the assistance of the council and the associated expense to the public. Every year countless parades are held across the council area which receive minimal support from the council; and often none at all. It looks like this is another case of the LGBT movement demanding special treatment and expecting everyone else to pay for it.

"Furthermore, there are people within ABC Council who will oppose the very idea of a “pride” event. Many of the causes espoused by this movement - such as the campaign against so-called “conversion therapy” - are explicitly anti-Christian in their nature. Alliance like to portray themselves as the party of equality and respect for everyone but here they are bringing a proposal which will obviously exclude many people with Christian values.

"Let’s not forget that last summer Alliance reported people to the police because they put up bunting in Lurgan. They even laughably alleged that the bunting was dangerous and posed a threat to motorists. Yet here they are wanting to see “pride” flags - which many find both offensive and divisive - not just erected but erected at public expense!”