Reform councillor warned over crotch grab photo at Pride

Daniel Piddington posed for a photo at Attleborough Pride last week, an event he has run for the last six years.

Dressed in feathers and flowers, the county councillor beamed for the camera with his hand perched on the groin of his friend, Bradley Ward. Standing alongside them is fellow Reform county councillor Jacob Allen.

Mr Piddington (left) and Jacob Allen (right) standing with drag queens who chose to attend the event despite the boycott (Image: Supplied)

The photograph, shared on Attleborough Pride’s Facebook, has since sparked a formal complaint to Reform’s leadership and Attleborough Town Council - the latter of where Mr Piddington sits as deputy mayor.

It marks the latest headache for Mr Piddington's Pride event, after more than ten drag queens boycotted this year's celebration over his ties to Reform in June.

Complainant Danny Saville wrote to Reform demanding an investigation, branding the pose "wholly inappropriate in the context of a public family event".

"Regardless of whether those involved consented to the interaction, the image depicts sexually suggestive behaviour in a public setting where children were present," he wrote, noting that young child were at the event.

Mr Piddington (right) has hosted the event for the last six years (Image: Supplied)

Mr Saville warned the photo risked "bringing the party into disrepute" and demonstrated "poor judgement inconsistent with the responsibilities of someone holding elected office".

And while Scott Hussey, a Reform cabinet member, defended Mr Piddington, he also provided some guidance on “where he places his hands” in the future.

"This was a private celebratory Pride event and the photo in question is in the spirit of that," Mr Hussey said. 

"Guests were in the background of the shot. Nevertheless, Cllr Piddington has been advised to be more mindful as to where he places his hands."

Scott Hussey, a Reform cabinet member, defended Mr Piddington but also provided some words of warning (Image: Norfolk County Council)

However Mr Piddington has brushed off the row.

He said: "I was simply there with family and friends, having a laugh and enjoying a private social event.

"I wasn't acting as a councillor or representing the council in any way."

Mr Ward, the individual who's crotch Mr Piddington grabbed, added that the felt “it doesn’t even warrant a complaint”.

AGGROBOROUGH

This marks the latest episode to hit Mr Piddington and the ever-eventful town of Attleborough.

The councillor's Pride event was thrown into uncertainty earlier this year when more than ten drag queens boycotted the event in protest at Mr Piddington's Reform ties.

The performers accused Mr Piddington, who is gay, and his party of "working against" the LGBT community amid its decision to remove the Progress Pride flag from Norfolk County Hall. 

Stealia Jobs was one of the performers who chose to boycott the event (Image: Stealia Jobs)

Mr Piddington pressed ahead with the event anyway, insisting critics were trying to "politicise" what should be a community celebration.

He said new performers stepped up for the event and that some had travelled from as far as Birmingham and Wales to attend.

But the Pride row is just one chapter in the wider chaos which has engulfed the town.

Mr Piddington also sits on Attleborough Town Council - dubbed "Battleborough" by locals and is frequently described as one of the most chaotic authorities in Britain. 

Attleborough's council chambers often play host to bitter infighting and public protests (Image: Henry Durand)

He is the de facto leader of the Reform-aligned "newbies" faction, which has been locked in a bitter and prolonged feud with a Conservative group dominated by the Taylor family.

The mother, grandfather and daughter - Samantha, John and Taila - two of whom also sit on Breckland Council, have not been seen at meetings of late, however.

Some in the town have suggested this has led to simmering tensions.