Christian Concern criticizes Westminster City Council for replacing Union Jacks with Pride flags

A Christian legal advocacy group has accused a prominent London council of pushing a political agenda by promoting widespread displays of LGBTQI+ Pride flags in central areas of the city. Christian Concern claims that the initiative amounts to ideological indoctrination and undermines proper democratic processes.

In a press release, the group criticized Westminster City Council for allegedly bypassing public consultation regarding its plan to install Pride flags along Regent Street on June 22, ahead of London’s Pride March in July. Christian Concern also argued that the flag display breaches planning regulations and disrespects the existing display of Union Jacks commemorating Victory in Europe Day and the sacrifices of World War II veterans.

In previous years, the same display has seen more than 300 LGBTQI+ Progress Pride flags taking over Regent Street for “weeks on end and beyond the time allotted,” stated Christian Concern. 

The Lord Mayor of Westminster, Cllr Paul Dimoldenberg, raised the Pride flag on June 2 outside City Hall to mark the start of Pride Month, according to a city council press release, which promised “several events” this month to celebrate unbiblical sexuality.

“Westminster will always be a welcoming city which is why it is such a special place to live, work and visit,” said Dimoldenberg. “I was proud to raise the Pride flag outside City Hall marking the start of Pride Month and highlight the contribution of our LGBTQIA+ communities in the city.”

Christian Concern, however, deemed the Pride Progress Flags as repressive rather than progressive for the London area. It claimed that the flag promoted a secular religious ideology seeking to group people into categories based on sexual preferences and identity, thus creating division “between those people who do not recognise themselves under the umbrella of its myriad causes and those that do.”

The legal rights group also raised concerns about how the city council’s approach conflicted with recommendations made by the Cass Review of gender identity services to children and young people. 

“Christian Concern has previously made the point to the council that the Cass Review prohibits the indoctrination and confusion of primary school children with trans ideologies, yet this display proposes to do just that, exposing the 100s of thousands of children who walk up and down Regent Street, including those who visit Hamleys [toy shop], to a message and symbols which will be unlawful to teach and display in schools,” stated Christian Concern. 

In an interview with Management Today (MT), Westminster Council’s chief executive, Stuart Love spoke about his drive for diversity and admitted that he “fully” embraced the concept of “wokeness.” He confessed that his own laptop background “even says ‘woke.’” He saw the term as representing “everything he stands for—an awareness of social injustices,” according to the MT article.  

“We should all be woke,” Love told Management Today, “but particularly in local government where we are directly delivering services to communities. When things have gone wrong here I’ve heard people say it’s because I’m too ‘woke’ or I’m focusing on the ‘woke agenda’. But all this has done is double down on my efforts. I lean into this term because it’s been hijacked and weaponised. I’m quite happy to be accused of being socially aware of injustice.”

Last year (2024), Christian Concern issued a petition calling for the Pride flag display to be stopped, which was signed by 31,000 people. 

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said many people experience the flags as “an attack on historic, traditional beliefs about sex and gender.” 

“They send the message that people holding these views—which are worthy of respect in a democratic society—are not welcome,” Williams said. 

“The majority of the public do not know the highly controversial and harmful symbolism presented by the Progress Pride Flag. At the heart of the flag is the trans flag—pink for girls, blue for boys and white for the 'transition' phase.  

“This ideology been discredited by the Cass Review, the closure of the Tavistock, and most recently Supreme Court ruling. When will the Crown estate catch up with the rest of society? 

“We will continue to urge Westminster City Council to stop allowing these displays in 2025 and in the future so that everyone can feel welcome in Regent Street and the surrounding areas. If the council chooses to proceed with the display we will have no option but to pursue legal action.”