A comment, which has since been removed, was posted by Reform UK saying: “Enjoy it whilst you can, when we take the Council next May we will be pulling all support for the event…”
Dozens of users took to social media to vent their frustrations, leading to Reform deleting the post on Saturday night [28 June, 2025].
Among those who criticised the post was Cllr Alison Smith, Labour councillor and cabinet member for Corporate Services and Equalities at Sunderland City Council.
She said: “I am appalled but by no means surprised by the comments from the local branch of Reform UK made at the weekend in relation to Pride in Sunderland.
“Pride is not just a celebration, it’s a chance for people across the region to come together and show solidarity for our LGBTQ+ communities, many of whom still face discrimination, marginalisation, and inequality every day of their lives.
“It also sees thousands of people spend money with local businesses, providing a major boost to the city economy while showcasing our city as the welcoming, progressive place that we know it to be.”
She added: “Reform’s proposals are not about saving money, they’re about erasing support for a community that has had to fight tooth and nail for its rights, while driving a wedge between our communities for no reason but to stoke culture wars for political gain.
“At a time when people are more divided than ever, it’s vital that we come together as one and send Reform a clear message; a message that Sunderland is and always will be a city that stands up for what is right and ensures nobody is left behind.”
Staffordshire County Council, one of the few councils to recently switch to Reform UK, has already announced that it will not fund the local Pride parade and Cllr Smith believes, if they are to gain power in Sunderland, it could be ‘devastating for the city’s marginalised communities’.
Cllr Smith added: “In the few months since Reform took a handful of councils, we have already seen how the local authorities have descended into councils of absolute chaos.
“They have targeted staff who work from home, slashed climate budgets, put totally incapable people in charge of services which are already in tens of millions of pounds of debt and have cost taxpayers’ tens of thousands of pounds in fees for by-elections, simply because those elected didn’t know what they were getting themselves into.
“It doesn’t bear thinking about what a full-council term could result in.”