Labour MP criticised after missing Pride Q&A event

Emily Price

A Labour MP has been sharply criticised after failing to attend a scheduled question-and-answer session at a Pride event.

Mid and South Pembrokeshire MP Henry Tufnell was accused of cancelling “at short notice” ahead of the meeting, which had been due to take place on Wednesday evening (July 30).

The criticism came from constituent Susie Clayton, who posted her comments beneath a Facebook post by Bridgend MP Chris Elmore.

Mr Elmore had defended the LGBT community following criticism from Restore Britain councillor Owain Clatworthy over a rainbow-painted table at a shopping centre.

Responding to Mr Elmore’s post, Ms Clayton wrote: “It’s a huge disappointment given the recent event in Berlin, that our MP Henry Tufnell cancelled, at short notice, a longstanding Q&A session that he had booked with Pembrokeshire Pride.

“Henry has a reputation for either cancelling, or not turning up for things.

“We are very disappointed that he didn’t feel we were important enough to honour his commitment to us.”

During Berlin’s annual Pride celebrations on Saturday a man carried out a deadly attack by driving a rented white minivan into crowds before crashing and launching a stabbing attack on attendees with what appeared to be a machete.

The attack left one woman dead and at least 29 others injured.

In a press statement released by Mr Tufnell in June, the Labour MP had said he would meet with Pembrokeshire Pride in July to “listen, learn and discuss” how he could best support the community in his role as the county’s representative in Westminster.

Pembrokeshire Pride is a volunteer-run LGBTQ+ organisation that operates throughout the year and hosts an annual Pride festival, promoting inclusion and providing a programme of events for people of all backgrounds.

A spokesperson for Mr Tufnell said the MP had not cancelled the Q&A session with Pembrokeshire Pride, as the constituent had claimed, but had instead requested that it be rescheduled.

The spokesperson said: “Henry did not cancel the meeting with Pembrokeshire Pride.

“When an urgent parliamentary commitment arose, Henry’s office asked to bring the meeting forward by 30 minutes.

“Pembrokeshire Pride chose to reschedule for a later date instead.

“Henry remains fully committed to supporting the local LGBTQ+ community and is in active dialogue to meet with the Pembrokeshire Pride committee in August.”

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