Council boss defies Reform over trans flag...

Warwickshire chief executive accused of ‘subverting democracy’ by party’s Zia Yusuf



A council chief executive has defied the authority’s new Reform leadership by refusing to take down a Pride flag.

George Finch, the new leader of Warwickshire county council, ordered Monica Fogarty to take down the banner flying outside county hall in line with the party’s manifesto policy to only fly British flags.

But Ms Fogarty refused, saying: “I am afraid I will not be taking the action that you are requesting.”

Zia Yusuf, the head of Reform’s department of government efficiency, claimed the refusal showed that “a coup d’etat is under way in Britain”. He accused Ms Fogarty of “subversion of democracy” and acting like the “monarch of Warwickshire”.

Mr Yusuf said: “Unelected bureaucrats are defying instructions from duly elected officials. They’ve seized control of the country, sabotaging the will of the people.”

Reform won the most seats in Warwickshire during local elections in May, when it secured a foothold in local government for the first time. It won 22 seats and now runs the county as a minority administration.

The party’s local election pledges included only flying the Union Flag and other British symbols such as the St George’s Cross outside municipal venues.

The banner flown was not the traditional rainbow flag but the more recent Progress Pride one, which includes the colours of the trans rights movement.

Mr Yusuf said: “The CEO of Warwickshire council has said they will not follow the instructions of elected officials, and has effectively declared themselves the supreme ruler and monarch of Warwickshire.

“They’re drawing huge salaries at your expense, and then refusing to carry out simple instructions given to them by the people you voted for. We’ve always known this was going on, but now, we have proof.

“The council leader instructed the chief executive of the council, the lead civil servants, to action the flag policy. The response he got was extraordinary: the unelected bureaucrat dictating terms to the duly elected representative of the people. While there are no tanks on the streets, this is a coup.

“I have some news for the CEO of Warwickshire council. You are not the monarch of Warwickshire. You are a public servant. The people voted for change, and your obstruction is nothing less than the subversion and sabotage of democracy.”

Mr Yusuf claimed that “this has been going on for years, and it’s one reason why your quality of life has got so much worse”.

He added: These people are drunk on their own power, and for decades have been totally unaccountable. Until now – Reform elected officials are fighting back. Unlike the two old parties, Reform will fight for you.

“We will expose where this is happening, demand compliance with democratic leadership and use all available legal powers to hold such people to account.”

The Ukraine flag shown in the picture is also a breech of council policy as I understand it?