The Progress Pride flag was raised in Haringey on Monday morning as the borough opened Pride Month with a renewed public statement backing trans residents.
Mayor of Haringey Cllr Dawn Barnes joined council leader Cllr Mark Blake, councillors, council staff and community partners for the flag-raising ceremony. The event marked the start of June’s Pride Month programme, but the council also used the moment to respond to the recent EHRC Code of Practice on the Equality Act.
Blake said Haringey would continue to present itself as “a place for everyone” and said the borough’s commitment to inclusion applied directly to residents affected by the guidance.
Pride Month opening tied to trans residents’ rights
The council’s statement places trans residents at the centre of its Pride Month message rather than treating the flag-raising as a stand-alone civic ceremony.
According to the council, the EHRC Code of Practice risks increasing uncertainty for organisations and businesses that want to operate inclusively. Blake said the guidance could further segregate and exclude trans people, and argued it may give cover to those seeking to exclude people based on how they are perceived.
The statement also calls on local MPs to support changes to the law so that residents can take part fully in daily life across the borough. The council did not frame the issue as symbolic only: its message was aimed at workplaces, public services, local organisations and residents navigating equality duties in practice.
For local LGBTQ+ communities, the timing is significant. Pride Month brings public celebration, but it also often becomes a point at which councils, public bodies and community groups set out how they intend to support residents facing discrimination or uncertainty.
Haringey links today’s stance to Section 28 history
Blake connected the council’s current position to Haringey’s history of LGBTQ+ activism, including the borough’s role in resistance to Section 28 during the 1980s.
Section 28 was the now-repealed legislation that restricted local authorities from “promoting homosexuality”. Haringey became one of the places associated with opposition to that climate, with Black and queer communities described by the council as having come together against hatred and bigotry.
This year also marks 40 years since the foundation of the Haringey Lesbian & Gay Unit. The council described it as a pioneering service for LGBTQ+ residents, and said it faced significant backlash at the time.
By referencing that history, the council is presenting its Pride Month position as part of a longer local pattern rather than a new campaign line. The message is that Haringey’s present-day stance on trans inclusion sits alongside earlier disputes over whether councils should actively defend LGBTQ+ residents.
Council leader calls for legal clarity
Blake’s statement said Haringey Council “stands firmly in solidarity” with people affected by the EHRC Code of Practice, particularly trans residents.
He said: “As the Leader of Haringey Council, I will do everything I can to support, uplift and include everyone in our Borough – just as we did at the height of anti-LGBTQ+ backlash 40 years ago.”
The council’s position also places attention on MPs representing the area. Blake said he is calling on them to support efforts to “fix the law”, with the stated aim of allowing everyone in Haringey to participate in everyday life.
For residents, the practical issue is how equality guidance is interpreted in local services, community spaces, businesses and public bodies. The council’s statement signals that, within its own public messaging, trans inclusion remains part of Haringey’s broader equality commitment.
The council has directed residents to its LGBTQ+ 365 material for more information about Haringey’s history of standing up for LGBTQ+ rights.
Source: Haringey Council
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This article is based on Haringey Council’s published Pride Month statement and checked against the named people, place and policy context in the source material.
- Confirmed the event described was a Progress Pride flag raising to mark the start of Pride...
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- Checked that the policy reference in the source is the EHRC Code of Practice on the Equali...
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- 2026-06-01 13:01
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