Full Breakdown
Attleborough Pride Boycott Highlights Tension Between Reform UK Councillor and Local Drag Community
6/17/2026, 5:15:52 AM
Attleborough Pride Boycott
In August 2024, ten drag performers announced a boycott of Attleborough Pride after Reform UK councillor Daniel Burcham posted a Facebook ad using their images without consent. They said the partnership with a party they view as hostile to LGBT+ rights politicised the event.
Political Context
Burcham won the Attleborough ward in the 2026 local elections with 49 % of the vote. Reform UK now controls 40 of Norfolk County Council’s 84 seats and opposes flying Pride flags on public buildings. The council announced the LGBT+ flag will no longer be displayed at county hall.
Key Participants
Key participants are councillor Daniel Burcham, drag performer Stealia Jobs, Pride organizer Zane Brightwell, and Unison representative Kris Holt.
Timeline of Key Events
Data Snapshot
Reform UK holds 40 of 84 council seats; Great Yarmouth First won nine. A More in Common poll shows 25 % of gay and bisexual men back Reform UK, six points ahead of the Greens. Over ten drag performers withdrew from the Pride event.
Official Statements & Responses
Burcham said sexuality does not automatically determine political beliefs and lamented that the Pride event had become politicised. He also argued that opposing the Pride flag is not anti-gay and that the flag does not represent him or many gay people. Council staff reported a strong sense of disappointment and called the flag decision a calculated snub.
Criticism & Opposition
Drag performers said working with a party that campaigns against people like them undermines Pride’s purpose. Stealia Jobs called the partnership a moral issue that could only change if Burcham left Reform. Brightwell stressed Pride requires acceptance. Holt’s union comment echoed staff disappointment.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Mr Burcham posted a now-deleted advertisement on Facebook, which included images of drag queens performing from previous years | FACEBOOK/DANIEL BURCHAM Responding to the boycott, Mr Burcham told The Eastern Daily Press: “Sexuality does not automatically determine political beliefs, and no political movement has the right to claim ownership of an entire community.” — Daniel Burcham, Reform UK councillor
- “It is deeply disappointing that what should be a positive, inclusive community event has become so heavily politicised.” — Daniel Burcham, Reform UK councillor
- “The performer, who uses the pseudonym Stealia Jobs, said: “Small-town Prides are definitely necessary in this day and age – but it’s a question of morals.” — Stealia Jobs, drag performer
- “a strong sense of disappointment” — Kris Holt, Unison union representative
Outlook
Attleborough Pride organizers intend to hold the August event despite the boycott, while council debates over LGBT+ symbols continue. Both Reform UK and local LGBT+ groups say the dispute will shape future community-political relations in Norfolk.
