Latest news with #PrideEvent
The Independent
10-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Reform councillor suspended after being charged with assault at Pride event
A Reform councillor has been suspended from her job with an MP after being charged with assault following an incident at a Pride event. Mandy Clare, who worked in the office of Sarah Pochin, is due to appear in court on 8 August after being arrested at Winsford Pride on 28 June. She was charged with assault and criminal damage and was later released on bail. A spokesperson for Mrs Pochin, the MP for Runcorn and Helsby, said the office has a 'zero-tolerance policy' for 'disorderly' conduct. 'On 29th June 2025, we were made aware of serious allegations involving a member of staff. She was immediately suspended from her position pending the outcome of the investigation', the spokesperson said. 'We operate a zero-tolerance policy towards any suggestion of disorderly or inappropriate conduct. 'While we fully respect the right to due process and a fair hearing, it would not be appropriate for the individual to continue in her role at this time.' A spokesperson for Cheshire Police said police were called to reports of a disturbance at Winsford Pride around 4.30pm on Saturday, 28 June. They said: 'Officers attended and arrested a 54-year-old woman. Amanda Clare, of Malpas, has since been charged with assault and criminal damage. 'Clare has been bailed and is next due to appear at Crewe Magistrates' Court on Friday 8 August.' They added it was important to remind people that criminal proceedings against Clare are live and that she has a right to a fair trial. 'It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice ongoing proceedings,' they said. Ms Clare's suspension comes just days after Reform MP James McMurdock said he will not return to the party after resigning the whip over questions related to Covid loans. The MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock 'removed the party whip from himself' last week, pending the outcome of an investigation relating to allegations around 'business propriety during the pandemic'. It follows an investigation by The Sunday Times that alleged two businesses connected to Mr McMurdock took out Covid-19 loans totalling £70,000 during the pandemic, one of which had no employees. Mr McMurdock is the second Reform MP to leave the party following the departure of Rupert Lowe earlier this year, who now also sits as an independent. Mr Lowe was expelled from Reform in March amid allegations of bullying, which he has strongly denied.
BBC News
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Worthing Pride goes ahead despite funding concerns
A Pride event has gone ahead despite previous concerns it would have to be cancelled because organisers had failed to raise enough Worthing Pride parades had cost about £6,000, with a main sponsor usually covering half that amount. In April, event organiser Gary Richardson said he had unsuccessfully been trying to secure the two-day event returned to Steyne Gardens on event is being headlined by Natasha Hamilton on Saturday, who is best known for being part of pop group Atomic Kitten. Louisa Johnson, who won season 12 of The X Factor, was also scheduled to attended the event in 2024, with about 500 people expected to have taken part in the parade.
BBC News
03-07-2025
- BBC News
'Distress' at Stroud Pride amid transphobic graffiti
Police are hunting for two people after transphobic graffiti was sprayed around a park hours before a Pride event Police has released CCTV images of a man and a woman who were seen entering Bank Gardens in Stroud with cannisters at 3:30 BST on 20 slogans appearing to target transgender people were sprayed at the gardens, with stickers of a similar theme placed around the Simon Ellson said: "Not only did this incident cause significant distress for many LGBT+ people in the community, it was also an act of mindless criminal damage." PC Steph Lawrence added: "Hate crimes will not be tolerated and we will do all we can to ensure that people within our county feel safe in their day-to-day lives."CCTV footage showed a man and a woman entering the gardens hours before Stroud Pride's celebrations began. Related graffiti was also found by a shop on Kendrick male suspect is described as white and was wearing a black jacket with the hood up, light grey baggy trousers and black woman is also said to be white with long brown hair. She was wearing a light-coloured dress and a navy jacket and was carrying a black from Stroud Town Council and the Stroud Pride worked swiftly to remove the graffiti, Insp Ellson with relevant information should call police.
Daily Mail
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Tulisa pulls out of Pride event after her famous father Steve Contostavlos dies
Tulisa has pulled out of a Pride event after her father and renowned musician Steve Contostavlos passed away earlier this week. Known as Plato, the keyboard player, played for the band Mungo Jerry and was thought to be around 65 years old. And now Tulisa has revealed she will be stepping back from work commitments as she comes to terms with the loss. The N-Dubz star was due to perform at The Clapham Grand on Saturday night, however on Wednesday the venue took to Instagram as they confirmed she will no longer be part of the lineup. They penned: 'PRIDE UPDATE... We are sorry to announce that due to a family bereavement, Tulisa will understandably no longer be joining us for our Pride After Party on Saturday. 'We are sending Tulisa and her family all of our love. ❤️ We will be announce a new special guest later today and look forward to welcoming you all to our Pride Parties this Saturday.' Tulisa marked his passing on Tuesday as she posted a childhood image showing her snuggling with her dad and the words: 'Love you pops, rest in peace. Forever my father's daughter' On Tuesday Tulia took to Instagram on Tuesday to share an emotional tribute for her late dad as she posted a childhood image of the pair snuggled up together. She penned: 'Love you pops, rest in peace. Forever my father's daughter.' The singer's heartfelt post was met with a plethora of sympathetic messages from her showbiz pals and followers. Heartbroken Dappy, 38, also previously shared the sad news as he posted a video of himself with his uncle, alongside a white dove. Tulisa commented on the post with a broken heart emoji and Dappy, real name Costadinos Contostavlos, wrote: 'I'm so sorry T.' It is not known how Plato passed away. In 2024, Tulisa opened up about her unconventional relationship with her father. She told Paul C Brunson on his We Need To Talk podcast: 'Me and my dad's relationship has not been a conventional one. Heartbroken Dappy [L], also previously shared the sad news as he posted a video of himself with his uncle, alongside a white dove [the pair pictured with N-Dubz bandmate Fazer in 2023] Tulisa's heartfelt post was met with a plethora of sympathetic messages from her showbiz pals and followers 'I would say me and my dad now we're just more friends that kind of have an understanding of one another.' Meanwhile, she spoke of her dad's influence on her musical career during a chat on Ferne Cotton's Happy Place podcast. She shared: 'My dad had a little studio in Dollis Hill and he used to bring me there sometimes when he was working. He put me on the mic at the age of five. I was singing Little Mermaid. 'I just knew there was nothing else I felt passionate about.' That same year, I'm A Celebrity fans were stunned to discover her father was also famous. They were surprised to discover her dad was a keyboard player from the band Mungo Jerry. The rock group was formed by Ray Dorset in 1970 and they were famed for their hit In The Summertime. Tulisa's uncle - her bandmate Dappy 's father - Byron was the bassist for the band and later became the manager of N-Dubz. Commenting on her musical heritage, fans wrote: 'Did you know that Tulisa and Dappy's uncle was in Mungo Jerry of In The Summertime fame?' 'I did not know that Tulisa Contostavlos' dad was the keyboard player in Mungo Jerry.' 'Little piece of trivia. Tulisa's father and uncle were in the band Mungo Jerry.' The Contostavlos family left Africa in the Seventies and moved to London where they lived in a six-bedroom house in leafy Brondesbury, with Tulisa's grandfather a senior diplomat with the United Nations. After touring the world with Mungo Jerry, Plato returned to London. He got together with Tulisa's mother, Ann Byrne, in 1984, and Tulisa was born four years later. A talented singer and impressionist, Ann enjoyed fleeting success with her sisters Louisa, Paula and Moira in 1980s swing band Jeep. There was also an appearance on short-lived talent show Go For It, in which she performed as Hollywood screen icon Marilyn Monroe. Unbeknown to Plato, however, Ann had suffered a mental breakdown two years before they met. Later diagnosed as a schizoaffective disorder, the condition was triggered again when Tulisa was two and Ann began suffering from hallucinations. Ann's condition continued to deteriorate, meaning she spent regular periods in the psychiatric unit at the nearby Royal Free Hospital. It was a devastating time for the family, with Plato looking after Tulisa on his own and his daughter unable at first to understand why her mother was not at home. The couple split up when Tulisa was 10. After the break-up, Plato moved in with his parents at their £1.2 million five-bedroom house in West Hampstead, while Tulisa stayed with her mother. The singer was thrust into the role of primary carer for her mum who battled a combination of bipolar and schizophrenia. Back in 2012, Plato told how he taught Tulisa to stand up for herself after she faced relentless bullying in school over her mother's mental illness. He told the Sunday Mirror: 'My daughter was horribly bullied. It was awful. Children would scream, "Your mum's a loony". Tulisa was about five years old when it first started. She would come home crying all the time. 'In the end I had to tell her, 'I can't go and sort this problem out for you. This is the kind of thing you are going to face in life and you have to stand up for yourself'. 'Then one day when she was about seven, after I had trained her for about six months, she came back from school and said, "Dad I knocked one of them out. You were right Dad, I did it". It had to be done, the misery that child went through at school was unbelievable. Every time she went in she was terrified.'
The Independent
30-06-2025
- The Independent
Reform UK councillor charged with assault after Pride event
A Reform UK councillor has been charged with assault and criminal damange following reports from a Pride event. Amanda Clare, from Malpas, represents the Winsford Dene ward on Cheshire West and Chester Council; she is to appear before magistrates in Crewe on 8 August. Cheshire Police attended reports of a disturbance at Winsford Pride at 4.30pm on Saturday where they arrested a 54-year-old woman. Clare has since been charged with assault and criminal damage, after which she received bail. A force spokesperson said: 'Officers from Cheshire police have charged a woman following reports of an incident at an event in Winsford. At around 4.30pm on Saturday 28 June, police were called to reports of a disturbance at Winsford Pride. Officers attended and arrested a 54-year-old woman. 'Amanda Clare, of Malpas, has since been charged with assault and criminal damage. Clare has been bailed and is next due to appear at Crewe Magistrates' Court on Friday 8 August. 'Cheshire Constabulary and the Crown Prosecution Service would like to remind everyone that criminal proceedings against Clare are live and that she has a right to a fair trial. 'It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice ongoing proceedings.'
