Warwickshire Chief Exec defies Reform council leader's request to remove Pride flag

Acting leader George Finch, who is aged 18, told chief executive Monica Fogarty to remove the flag on the grounds that his party’s policy was that only British flags such as the Union Jack and Cross of St George should be flown.

Cllr Finch became leader last month following the resignation after only a few weeks in office of his predecessor Rob Howard.

Ms Fogerty’s response said decisions on which flags should be flown were a matter for her and not for the leader.

She said: “Hitherto the decisions around which flags to fly at Shire Hall have been left to me as CEO. This has been the custom and practice for the duration of my tenure as CEO and I have never received a request or instruction from an elected member or the leader on such a matter.”

Ms Fogerty said the Pride flag had been flown during Pride month for many years and Cllr Howard had agreed to it while he was in office.

It would be up to Cllr Finch to propose a policy on flags as an executive decision if he wished to, she added.

Reform UK won minority control of Warwickshire at May’s elections.

Zia Yousef, who heads the party’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ told GB News that Ms Fogerty’s stance was behaving like the "monarch of Warwickshire" by defying the party's instructions.

A statement from Warwickshire Pride said: “Warwickshire Pride firmly stands behind Monica Fogarty’s decision to keep the Pride flag flying and for standing up for the rights and rules of local government.

“The Pride flag is a symbol of inclusivity and celebrates the diversity of the queer community. We urge WCC’s acting leader, George Finch, to focus on managing Warwickshire County Council for all its residents and doing the work of improving its services.”

A Warwickshire spokesperson said: ”We will not be commenting on this matter.”

Mark Smulian