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boris-johnsonAt City Hall on Wednesday, Boris Johnson revealed that he would not be attending the WorldPride celebrations this weekend, the first time that London has been host city for this international event. In addition he also refused to use his powers to intervene with Westminster City Council to restore Pride to the scale originally planned for the event. Instead of a full parade with floats it will now be a much smaller walking procession, starting and finishing earlier. The admission came from Mr Johnson during Mayor’s Question Time at City Hall. Following a budget shortfall Pride London who are responsible for the WorldPride event taking place in London, was forced to downscale the event from a parade to a procession. Age Concern UK and the disability charity Opening Doors have written to London Assembly Members expressing their concern that elderly and disabled Londoners will no longer be able to take part in the event. . Labour London Assembly Member Tom Copley today urged the Mayor to use his position to get Westminster City Council to restore the parade. The original cash-flow problems experienced by the organisers have now been overcome with additional sponsorship money being made available. Labour London Assembly Member Tom Copley said: “In 2009 when London Pride won the bid to host World Pride the mayor said he wanted the celebration to be as big as Sydney Mardi Gras. Not only has he refused to intervene and restore the parade, he isn’t even attending. As usual the mayor is full of warm words but he has let down LGBT Londoners. He has failed to take action to ensure World Pride goes ahead as originally planned.” “At a time when the LGBT community world wide is facing persecution and discrimination it is shameful that the Mayor has distanced himself from this weekend’s WorldPride and London’s LGBT community”.

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