Reform remove Pride and Ukraine flags at Durham Council offices

The decision by council leaders on the first day the party officially assumed control of the local authority prompted protest and condemnation from a rival political party. A Ukrainian flag erected by the previous administration has also been taken down. 

Liberal Democrat county councillor Ellie Hopgood said: “We know from their social media posts that Reform councillors are keener on Russia’s flag than Ukraine’s or Pride’s. It’s a petty and mean-spirited act to haul down the Pride flag ahead of Saturday’s Pride in Armed Forces event here in Durham.

“It is disrespectful to the Britons of all sexualities who served in our armed forces and many who gave their lives for their country.

“The Reform Party should apologise and immediately restore the flag ahead of the Pride in Armed Forces event this Saturday.”

The Ukrainian flag pictured previously outside Durham County Hall (Image: The Northern Echo)

Reform previously said it would continue to fly county standards from council buildings, after previously saying “no other flags” than the Union and St George’s ones would be permitted.

Pictures from Durham County Hall on Wednesday show the County Durham, Union, and St George’s flags flying outside the council headquarters. 

But Reform’s Darren Grimes defended the party’s decision to remove the flags, saying the party is “anti-tokenism”. 

He said: “As a gay man and the Deputy Leader of Durham County Council, I’m proud to fly three flags from County Hall: the Union Jack, the flag of St George, and the County Durham flag. Together, they represent every Briton—gay or straight, black or white, Christian, Sikh, or otherwise—who has fought, died, and sacrificed under those colours.

As a newly Reform council, we have taken down foreign flags and the latest iteration of the pride flag outside of Durham’s County Hall. pic.twitter.com/5kBhjQEN1J

— Darren Grimes (@darrengrimes_) May 21, 2025

“The Liberal Democrats—a party that tried to overturn the largest democratic vote in our history and still can’t define what a woman is—are in no position to lecture anyone on respect. Flying our national and local flags is an act of unity. Swapping them out for niche political symbols is just more toxic identity politics.

“Let’s be crystal clear: no one in Reform UK is ‘anti-gay’—least of all me. But we are anti-tokenism. Our armed forces, gay and straight, didn’t fight for the Pride flag, the Ukraine flag, or any other flag-of-the-month. They fought for Britain—and they deserve to see their flag flown with pride.”