Callum's Column: Reflecting on Pride Month

As Pride Month comes to a close today, it feels like an opportune moment to reflect on how far we've come while recognising the work that still lies ahead for LGBT+ communities.

Earlier this month, I was delighted to attend Buckingham's very first Pride Week. It was uplifting to see our community come together to celebrate inclusion, hear local stories, and reaffirm the importance of creating places where everyone feels welcome.

From the Lost Victorian Voices exhibition at the library, which explored the experiences of LGBT+ people in our area through the generations, to local businesses proudly displaying messages of support, the week showed that Pride is not just for our largest cities, such as Manchester, London, or Brighton.

The story of local resident James Dormer, who was treated cruelly by both society and the criminal justice system of the time, particularly stayed with me. It was a stark reminder that Pride is not only a celebration but also a protest.

While Pride Month may be drawing to a close, Milton Keynes Pride returns this September and, having attended before, I know what a fantastic event it is. Bringing together thousands of people in a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere, it has become one of the highlights of the local calendar, supported by my brilliant colleagues at the MK Community Foundation. Best of all, it's completely free.

Q Alliance, based in my constituency, also does outstanding work throughout the year to support LGBT+ people across our patch. They provide fantastic youth groups, adult community spaces, and training that helps organisations improve their understanding of LGBT+ inclusion. Their vital work creates safe, welcoming spaces where people can be themselves, and I challenge anyone to read the stories about their Christmas celebrations without feeling at least a little emotional.

On a more sombre note, and in keeping with the idea that Pride is both a celebration and a reminder of the work still to be done, I know this year's events will feel particularly significant for many following the devastating fire at Pink Punters, a venue that has been at the heart of the local LGBT+ community for decades. My team and I have reached out to offer our support, and I know many people across Buckingham, Bletchley, Tattenhoe, Winslow, and the surrounding villages will be looking forward to seeing what comes next from the Pink Punters team. They have been an important part of so many lives, and I will do whatever I can to support them as they look to the future.

Pride Month also includes the birthday of Alan Turing, who lived long before this month was ever celebrated and who, arguably, helped put Bletchley on the map. We rightly celebrate his extraordinary brilliance and the pioneering work that helped shape the modern world, from computing to artificial intelligence.

Yet his story is also a powerful reminder of the consequences of prejudice. Despite everything he contributed, Turing was persecuted simply for who he was and denied the freedom to live openly. Remembering that injustice helps us understand why the values Pride represents remain so important today.

With my Westminster hat on, I am incredibly proud that it was a Labour Government that repealed Section 28, and that Labour, in opposition, helped secure civil partnerships and same-sex marriage. But there is still more to do. That is why I was pleased to see the Government publish its draft Bill to ban abusive conversion practices, delivering on a commitment we made in our manifesto. Nobody should ever face abuse or coercion because of who they are or who they love.

These harmful practices have caused lasting damage to many people's lives. The proposed legislation will help close legal loopholes while protecting legitimate healthcare, therapeutic support, and open conversations. It is about safeguarding people from abuse while respecting freedom of expression and clinical practice.

We have made enormous progress over the years, thanks to the determination of campaigners, allies, and countless individuals who fought for the freedom to live authentically. But the fight for equality is not something we can ever take for granted.