Campaigner embroiled in row with Pride organisers

Julie Bindel was told she must leave the Pride in Surrey event

A row has broken out between the organisers of Pride in Surrey and a prominent feminist campaigner after she was asked to leave this weekend's event.

Footage shared widely on social media showed Julie Bindel and her podcast producer being told to leave the gathering by security on Saturday.

Ms Bindel posted to her 133,000 followers on X that her ejection was at "the behest of the MP for Guildford" Zoe Franklin, who was at the event, after Ms Bindel raised "safeguarding shortcomings".

Pride in Surrey has strenuously denied the claim. A spokesperson said Ms Bindel was asked to leave following "multiple reports from attendees of harassment".

A Liberal Democrat spokesperson said Ms Bindel's claims were "entirely false".

Ms Bindel said: "Where are these multiple complaints [of harassment]? We have everything recorded.

"I think it's quite extraordinary that they would say that, it's staggering."

The campaigner told the BBC she was interviewing people in the VIP area of the event as part of a podcast series.

She believes the event should have been cancelled after its co-founder Stephen Ireland, 41, was jailed for raping a child in a flat he shared with then-partner David Sutton, 27, who was a volunteer at Pride in Surrey.

Ms Bindel claims Ms Franklin became "notably defensive" when discussing the subject and went to speak with security.

Pride in Surrey said it was "entirely false" to suggest Ms Franklin had any involvement in the decision.

An event spokesperson said: "The decision to remove Julie Bindel was made following multiple reports from attendees of harassment by Ms Bindel.

"This decision was made solely by the Pride in Surrey organisers and was facilitated by our security team in line with event protocols."

A Liberal Democrat spokesperson said of Ms Bindel's claims: "This is entirely false - Zöe did not ask officials to remove anyone from the Pride event."