Reform UK council leader George Woodward was branded a "weird patriot superhero" after he greeted protesters outside St Helens Town Hall draped in a Union Jack flag. The protest was against his decisions to scrap official support for Pride and Refugee Week events in the town.
Protest over Pride and refugee support
Woodward became leader of St Helens Council in May after Reform UK won control, reducing Labour to just two seats. Since then, the party has withdrawn funding and support for planned Refugee Week events and ended council backing for LGBT Pride events.
Ahead of a council meeting last week, protesters angry at these decisions demonstrated outside the town hall. Woodward came out to interact with them, wearing a Union Jack flag draped around him and holding smaller flags.
Protester's reaction
One protester told the Liverpool Echo: "The protest was to demonstrate against his dire decisions around withdrawing Pride and refugee support as well as his fairness to do anything in the town since taking office."
"His response? To come out to rile the crowd up dressed as some weird patriot superhero waving flags and swishing his cape. It took his own security to step in and lead him away to save him from any more embarrassment than he'd already put himself through. Not really the type of behaviour you expect from an elected official."
Woodward's response
Woodward told the Echo he enjoyed the discussion. "It was wonderful to engage with the Pride Protesters before the start of full council where we passed our Green Spaces Emergency motion to defend green land across St Helens borough," he said.
"Healthy debate and engagement with opposing views is the sign of a healthy democracy. I talked with the protesters about the rationale behind some of the decisions we've taken regarding Refugees' Week and Pride."
"While we won't agree on everything, I still enjoy taking the time to listen to others. It was nice to match some of their signs, placards, and pride costumes with my Union Jack and hand flags."
Previous Erasmus participation
The Echo previously reported that Woodward was a PhD student who participated in the EU's Erasmus exchange programme while studying engineering at Strathclyde University, then going by the name Ronnie Woodward. Asked about his views on the programme given Reform UK's anti-EU stance, Woodward said: "My views on Erasmus and Turing scheme still stand. They're great schemes for going abroad and immersing into a very different culture. I made great friends there and would definitely recommend it to any student. Luckily, foreign exchange experiences aren't limited to, or contingent on, being members of the EU."
