Doncaster’s newly elected mayor

In among the many elections held last week, Doncaster elected Peter Davies from the fringe, hard right ‘English Democrats’ party as mayor.

The right-winger ran on an ‘English devolution’ and anti-political correctness platform, and the party wants to withdraw from international conventions protecting refugees. Davies has already said he will “stop translation services for immigrants”.

On their website, the fringe party have only three key issues listed: 1) Immigration, 2) English Identity, 3) The EU, 4) Political Correctness

And he’s barely in office before ‘promising’ to slash funding for Doncaster Pride:

Peter Davies, of the English Democrats, said: “My policy on gays and lesbians is very simple.

“I don’t think councils should be spending money on them parading through town advertising their sexuality.”

Doncaster Pride said the event, which attracts up to 8,000 people, would still take place on 16 August.

A statement from the Doncaster Pride Committee said: “We believe everyone has a right to their opinion and if the newly elected mayor of Doncaster holds personal opinions about the staging of a Pride event in the borough we feel he is entitled to that view.

The simple message is the show goes on…with or without support from Doncaster council

Doncaster Pride statement

“However, in the last two years we have brought over 6,000 visitors into Doncaster and anticipate an audience this year of up to 8,000.

“These people spend money in Doncaster and come to enjoy a great day out.”

The organisers said they had received “massive support” from other agencies, including South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, South Yorkshire Police, the Home Office and a number of trade unions.

In the BBC’s story, the chair of the party unironically calls him “the Boris Johnson of the north”.

The only bright spot might be that, according to the Guardian, his policies during the campaign included: “reducing councillors’ numbers by two thirds to 21 (which he almost certainly has no power to do) and holding a referendum on whether his own post should exist.”