Thousands packed the streets of London for the 54th annual Pride in London celebrations, but concern is growing over LGBTQ+ rights.
Revellers adorned in rainbow colours set off at midday from Hyde Park Corner to Whitehall in central London.
Meanwhile, spectators cheered as floats full of dancers and speakers booming music drove along Piccadilly.
However, it comes against a backdrop of a fall in support for LGBTQ+ rights among the British population and councils taking down pride flags.
An Ipsos Mori poll published this week showed only 66 per cent of Britons agree with same-sex marriage, down from 82 per cent in 2021. It has been legal in England since 2014.
Only 59 per cent of Britons believe that LGBTQ+ people should be open about their sexuality, down from 63 per cent in 2021.
Pride flags on Regent Street, one of the UK’s busiest shopping streets. UK-based evangelical campaigners Christian Concern threatened a judicial review against Westminster City Council over the last two years for approving the plans.The polling also shows that only 44 per cent believe companies and brands should actively promote equality for LGBTQ+ people, down from 52 per cent in 2021.
Some local councils no longer display pride flags. Enfield Council announced it will not be flying the Pride flag above their town hall.
The Conservative minority-led administration said they would only fly the Union Flag, the Flag of St George, and the local Enfield Beast flag outside Enfield Civic Centre, which they said was aimed at “restoring a sense of traditional civic pride”.
Enfield Labour, who ran the administration until May’s local elections, said it was a “slap in the face to the LGBTQ+ community”.
Paraders in the Pride In London 2026, the UK’s largest LGBTQIA+ celebration. The event is expected to draw an 1.8 million visitors (Photo: Alishia Abodunde/Getty Images)Meanwhile, in Huntingdonshire, the Progressive Pride Flag, an update to the six-colour rainbow that also includes representation for trans people and people of colour, was taken down.
Cllr Ryan Coogan, the Reform UK group leader of Cambridgeshire council, said it should have had planning permission before being put up. He added that “councils should be cautious about displaying flags that some residents may regard as ideological or political”.
Huntingdonshire Council, which is a Lib Dem-Green administration, said the flag had been flown but was later taken down after a discussion with the Reform group.
“At that point, it came to our attention that the council does not currently have the necessary permissions in place to fly certain flags,” a council spokesman said.
Pride in London 2026 focuses heavily on four critical issues: trans healthcare rights, Black and Brown queer visibility, chosen family rights, and ending hate crime. (Photo: Alishia Abodunde/Getty)Westminster City Council has been criticised for granting planning permission for Progressive Pride Flags on Regent Street put forward by the Crown Estate.
Over the last two years, evangelical Christian campaign group Christian Concern has threatened a judicial review against the decision, but Westminster City Council have defended their policy, saying “Pride is an annual and established fixture and has been supported by the Council for many years.”
Nick Baldwin, Humanists UK’s LGBT campaigns manager, said removing Pride flags “sends a clear message to LGBT+ people that they are not welcome, and in some places, not safe”.
Pride in London’s parade features 35,000 marchers representing more than 600 community groups. (Photo: Carlo Paloni/Getty Images)Zoe Garbett, the Mayor of Hackney and a Green politician, told The i Paper: “I think it shows how difficult and dark the times that we are in that councils are struggling to show solidarity with marginalised communities. That comes from [the] divisive and hate-fuelled politics that’s happened over the last few years.”
Elsewhere, a former LGBTQ+ rights adviser to Andy Burnham when he was Mayor of Greater Manchester urged him “not to backtrack” on LGBTQ+ rights.
Carl Austin-Behan said the UK, which is seen as a world leader in LGBTQ rights and equality, is losing ground.
Mr Behan, also a co-director of Manchester Village Pride, said: “Ten years ago we were further ahead as an LGBT community than we are right now. We have had rights taken away. Let’s see if we can build back and get back to number one, leading the world when it comes to LGBT rights.”
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said Burnham was “the best possible ally” the LGBTQ community can have.
Asked by Gaydio about Burnham as a future prime minister and his record on LGBTQ+ rights, he said: “He walks the walk. I’ve known Andy for more than 20 years.
“He’ll do a great job as prime minister – and in all communities who feel like they’re marginalised and who feel frightened.”
Pride in London 2026. One participant said the community must always push further because ‘there’s always somewhere where our rights are being taken away’ (Photo: Jordan Pettitt/PA)He added: “At a time when many are trying to turn back the clocks on hard won rights, it is more important than ever that we join together to celebrate our differences and show the world that love will always triumph over hate.”
A source close to Burnham told The i Paper that he is a “champion for the LGBTQ+ community”.
Julian Hows, 70, who was expelled from school for early gay rights activism in 1971, said Pride is important “because it needs to have an underlying level of protest”.
Speaking at the front of the pride at Hyde Park Corner, he added: “We also always need to push further because there’s always somewhere where our rights are being taken away.
“It’s a visible display, a visible manifestation of all our Christmases, our Easters, our whatever, all rolled up into one.”
Ipsos Mori poll based on polling from 1,000 UK adults aged under 75 between 24 April–8 May 2026
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