Other Pride Patrons excluded too
London – 30 June 2009
Peter Tatchell writes:
“Although I am a Patron of Pride London, Mayor Boris Johnson barred me from his Pride launch reception at City Hall last night. Why?
“Pride London Chair Paul Birrell twice requested that I and others be sent invites. His requests were ignored.
“The Pride Committee has confirmed to me that the Mayor’s office took over the invite list and ignored its recommendations about who to invite.
“Was I excluded because I recently criticised the Conservatives for joining a right-wing European Parliament grouping that includes the homophobic and anti-Semitic Polish Law and Justice Party?
“Do I care? Not really. I am not campaigning for LGBT human rights to win awards or invites.
“But I am disturbed that many other Patrons of Pride London and hard working Pride London volunteers were also not invited.
“Tory LGBTs got plenty of invites.
“Is Boris manipulating the Pride events for party political advantage?”