London Pride 2024: 'Deeply shameful' politicians accused of endangering LGBT+ people to score political points
As hundreds of thousands of people took to London's streets on Saturday to celebrate LGBT+ pride, politicians were accused of using the community for political point scoring.
Saturday 29 June 2024 17:50, UK
Politicians were accused of "deeply shameful" "point-scoring" over LGBT+ issues as London's Pride parade took over the centre of the capital today.
1.5 million LGBT+ people and supporters were expected to take to the streets for the annual parade, with community groups, sports clubs, performers and companies taking part.
Ginger Johnson, the most recent winner of Ru Paul's Drag Race UK, was performing on one and spoke to Sky News before going on stage.
"It is deeply shameful that politicians think they can use LGBT+ issues to score points against each other," said Ginger.
"It's easy for them to rile people up with conversations like that [whether trans people should be allowed into single sex bathrooms]," she said.
"I don't think they understand the danger that puts especially the trans community in."
"It's just really really sad," said Kelly Panayi who was watching the parade with her wife.
"Who cares what people are, what they want to do? As long as they're not hurting each other, why does it matter?"
With fancy dress as far as the eye could see, plenty of people were taking the opportunity to celebrate the LGBT+ community together.
Read more from Sky News:
Jay Slater: New search for missing teenager begins
Reform UK drops three candidates
Wandsworth jail: Woman arrested over inmate sex video
"When I was younger, I was a bit afraid to be gay in public," said Graham Kenny from Dublin.
"Pride is a chance to express yourself and feel safe doing that because everyone is here."
It's been 52 years since London's annual Pride parade began, kicking off three years after the Stonewall riots.
Be the first to get Breaking News
Install the Sky News app for free
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
Those riots were triggered by LGBT+ people being hauled out of the Stonewall Inn by police in New York which kickstarted the gay rights movement.
Ruby Andrews was visiting the UK from the US and came to watch the parade. "It's just fantastic to see how you all are celebrating Pride, the numbers of people, we don't see this number [in the US]."