VE Day parade to go ahead after councillor suggested it would be ‘elitist'
A military parade will be held to mark VE Day at a council where a senior member suggested such an event would be 'elitist', Sir Ed Davey has announced.
Liberal Democrat-led Dacorum Borough Council in Hertfordshire has overturned its decision not to hold an event to mark the end of the Second World War.
Commemorations are being held across the country on May 8 to mark the end of the war, including a flypast in London and a service at Westminster Abbey with members of the royal family.
However, Dacorum council initially said it had no plans for a parade.
Sir Ed, national leader of the party, announced a formal ceremony will go ahead, as he made a local election campaign visit to Gloucester.
'There will be a VE parade, I'm delighted to say,' he said.
'The council wants that. It would be daft not to have one, absolutely daft.
'I'm really looking forward to VE celebrations, the 80th anniversary.
'I think apparently a council officer took a decision without talking to the politicians.
'The politicians are now really clear, the VE parade will go ahead.'
Dacorum council cabinet member Caroline Smith-Wright had told a meeting on April 2 that there were no plans for a parade, suggesting such an event would be for the 'elite'.
She said: 'We have decided at this point to enable communities to come together and have street parties, and I think… that's for the community, that's for everyone, that encompasses everybody, it doesn't just leave the elite and people to just, kind of, parade.
'This is about normal people celebrating in their communities, sharing food, sitting at a table celebrating, and I think that's a fine way to celebrate VE Day.'
She added that the authority had done 'done quite a bit of celebrating last year' to mark the council's 50th birthday.
The move received significant backlash, with opposition councillors calling for a rethink.
Conservative councillor Graeme Elliot said: 'I'm very dismayed about the lack of celebrations – my father fought in that war, I had an uncle that died in the Battle of France, that was the golden generation.
'You think that 50 years of a celebration of a council is far more important than the men and women that gave their lives so that we could stand here.'
My statement on why I disagree with the Lib Dem decision to reject a VE Day Parade in my area 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/TJ3zi4gcSC
— David Taylor MP (@DavidTaylor85) April 8, 2025
David Taylor, Labour MP for Hemel Hempstead, shared a statement on X joining the calls for a rethink.
He said: 'I am disappointed by the Liberal Democrat-led council's decision to reject the proposal for a military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. I believe a parade is what our armed forces deserve.'
Dacorum Borough Council and council leader Sally Symington have been approached for comment.
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