Pride in London: Call for new board over allegations of bullying and racism

The current Pride in London board should be scrapped and replaced, says a group of former organisers.

A "damning report" into allegations of racism and bullying by the board is yet to be made public, prompting accusations of a "cover-up".

An open letter, co-ordinated by activist Peter Tatchell, calls on the mayor of London to act.

Sadiq Khan has said he is "fully committed to supporting the community" to deliver the event.

Pride in London said the organisation was constantly evolving and would never be "a sole voice for any one person".

The main issues centre on racism and bullying allegations, which are yet to be resolved despite an independent investigation making critical recommendations nine months ago.

In March, all 10 members of the Pride in London community advisory board (CAB) resigned, citing a "hostile environment" for volunteers of colour.

The CAB, which was established in 2012, advised the directors on questions of inclusivity and helped Pride in London to meet its commitment to openness and transparency.

The group is now calling on the London mayor to launch an inquiry into what they allege looks like a "cover-up", ahead of the event's 50th anniversary next year.

'A celebration and a protest'

Mr Tatchell, who is a patron of Pride in London, says this has left the board with "no apparent community oversight" as required by its contract with the mayor of London.

He said: "We are urging the mayor to take action, given that Pride in London is no longer abiding by its contract and has lost the trust and confidence of much of the LGBTIQ community.

"The successful Reclaim Pride march on 24 July shows there is a yearning for change, in particular for a truly inclusive community-based Pride and a Pride that is both a celebration and a protest for LGBTIQ human rights."

The letter sets out nine demands, due to "a wide cross-section of the LGBTIQ community" having concerns the leadership is "self-appointed, non-transparent and lacking oversight and accountability".

Current plans are "far too corporate and commercial", the letter says, and allow companies to "exploit" the LGBTIQ community rather than celebrating and protecting their human rights.

'We are on a journey'

A spokesman for the mayor of London said the city would always be "a beacon of inclusiveness, acceptance and diversity" and said Mr Khan was "fully committed to supporting the community to deliver a safe and inclusive event".

He added: "The views and contribution of our city's vibrant and diverse LGBTQ+ community are vital to shaping successful Pride in London events."

A Pride in London spokesman said: "We are on a journey, like many organisations, and whilst we have very recently made some sizable modifications after consultation with our team, including a leadership team made up of 50% minority and ethnic individuals, we will not stop building visibility, unity and equality into the heart of everything we do."

He added the investigation was "not a report on racism and bullying" and said the report's recommendations had been published on Pride in London's website in May.