New mayor of Doncaster cuts funding for Pride
The newly-elected mayor of Doncaster has vowed to cut funding for the town’s annual gay Pride event.
Peter Davies, an English Democrat, has said: “My policy on gays and lesbians is very simple.
“I don’t think councils should be spending money on them parading through town advertising their sexuality.”
Davies, a retired politics and RE teacher, has also promised to end council spending on “politically correct” issues and plans to cut his mayor’s salary by £32,000 to £62,000.
He also plans to reduce councillors’ numbers by two thirds to 21, although it remains to be seen whether he has to power to do so, and to hold a referendum on whether his own post should exist.
Davies added: “I have nothing whatsoever against gays and lesbians, what they do in their private lives is absolutely fine.
“But I don’t see why councils should be spending money on that sort of thing.”
Doncaster Pride have said they are disappointed at the result of the election but added the show will go on.
A statement from the organisation said: “We believe everyone has a right to their opinion and if the newly-elected mayor of Doncaster holds personal opinions about the staging of a Pride event in the borough we feel he is entitled to that view.
“However, in the last two years we have brought over 6,000 visitors into Doncaster and anticipate an audience this year of up to 8,000. These people spend money in Doncaster and come to enjoy a great day out. We believe Doncaster Pride puts Doncaster on the map for all the right reasons and have had visitors coming in from across the UK and farther afield who may never have visited the town if it were not for Pride.”
Davies won the election by 25,344 votes, beating his closet rival Michael Thomas Maye, an Independent candidate, by 354 votes.
The English Democrats advocate an end to multiculturalism and political correctness and call for withdrawal from the European Union.
