Neil Wilby Media

Oldham Pride goes from strength to strength, despite adverse weather which could otherwise have blunted a spectacular event that took place over the weekend of 21st to 23rd July, 2023.

Cllr Louie Hamblett, a popular and openly gay elected Member of Oldham Council (pictured above) told Neil Wilby Media: “Yesterday was a huge, bold step for Oldham Pride; despite the rain, the parade marched in full colour with brollies aloft and the Samba band keeping the beat as many made their way through the town centre to the Queen Elizabeth Hall (QEH). The venue was spectacular, the acts fabulous and the atmosphere wonderful.

He added: “From the Oldham Pride Committee we are so grateful for everyone’s effort, time and help in making the week so memorable. Thank you.”

Pride was well supported by other Members with Cllrs Birch, Steve and Marie Bashforth, Davis, Holly Harrison, Jenny Harrison (a former Mayor), Charters, Fryer, Williamson, Kenyon
Al-Hamdani, Bishop, Marland, Sykes, Arnott, Byrne and Adams all present.

Oldham Borough’s Mayor for 2023/24, Dr Zahid Chauhan OBE, addressed the assembled spectators from the stage at QEH saying: “The message remains same: Diversity, equality, tolerance. We act together, we live together, we co-exist. That’s what makes us Great Britain and proud to be British”.

One person not present at Oldham Pride was gay rights campaigner, Raja Miah. But his repeated social media smears against the Council Leader, Cllr Arooj Shah, and one of her Deputies, Cllr Shaid Mushtaq, describing their non-attendance at the festival as ‘homophobic’ is understood to have bought him to the attention of Greater Manchester Police, once again. He denies wrongdoing, but is presently on both conditional police and court bail over malicious communication and harassment allegations, respectively. He was also arrested in April this year over suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence. He was later released with no further action taken.

None of the councillors with various forms of attachment to Miah, and his notorious conspiracy theories centred around Asian block votes at local and general elections in return for covering up child sexual exploitation, were present. Cllrs Ball, Hince, Hindle, Hobin, Hurley Quigg and Rea may have had perfectly legitimate reasons, or personal preference, for their absence from Pride. But the fact that all seven were missing at the same time from the same event gives the appearance of more than a coincidence.

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Page last updated: Monday 24th July, 2023 at 08h25

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Picture credit: Oldham Council

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