A military parade will now be held to commemorate VE Day in Dacorum, Hertfordshire, after an earlier suggestion by a senior councillor that such an event would be “elitist” sparked backlash.
The Liberal Democrat-led Dacorum Borough Council had previously indicated no formal plans were in place for a parade to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, but following public outcry and pressure from political figures, the decision was overturned.
The announcement was first made by Sir Ed Davey, national leader of the Liberal Democrats, during a local election campaign visit to Gloucester.
“There will be a VE parade, I’m delighted to say,” Sir Ed confirmed. “The council wants that. It would be daft not to have one, absolutely daft. I’m really looking forward to VE celebrations, the 80th anniversary. I think apparently a council officer took a decision without talking to the politicians. The politicians are now really clear – the VE parade will go ahead.”
The initial remarks that sparked the controversy came from Councillor Caroline Smith-Wright, a cabinet member at Dacorum Borough Council. During a meeting on April 2, she explained there were no parade plans and suggested that such events catered more to “the elite” rather than ordinary citizens.
She said: “We have decided at this point to enable communities to come together and have street parties, and I think… that’s for the community, that’s for everyone, that encompasses everybody, it doesn’t just leave the elite and people to just, kind of, parade. This is about normal people celebrating in their communities, sharing food, sitting at a table celebrating, and I think that’s a fine way to celebrate VE Day.”
Cllr Smith-Wright also noted the council had already hosted numerous commemorative events the previous year for Dacorum’s 50th anniversary, which she felt was a significant milestone.
However, the decision not to hold a formal VE Day parade faced immediate criticism from across the political spectrum. Conservative councillor Graeme Elliot expressed disappointment, stating, “I’m very dismayed about the lack of celebrations – my father fought in that war, I had an uncle that died in the Battle of France, that was the golden generation. You think that 50 years of a celebration of a council is far more important than the men and women that gave their lives so that we could stand here.”
David Taylor, Labour MP for Hemel Hempstead, also voiced his concerns via social media platform X, formerly Twitter. He said: “I am disappointed by the Liberal Democrat-led council’s decision to reject the proposal for a military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. I believe a parade is what our armed forces deserve.”
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In a subsequent statement released on Wednesday, Dacorum Borough Council clarified that no commemorative events had been cancelled and confirmed a joint event with the Royal British Legion would go ahead, including a parade at the War Memorial.
A council spokesperson said: “The Council has not cancelled its VE Day commemoration event or rejected calls for military parades as reported. VE Day belongs to all of us. We are absolutely committed to honouring the sacrifice of our armed forces and ensuring their memory lives on. The Council has a long and proud history of supporting commemorative events and our armed forces community.”
Beyond the VE Day celebrations, the council announced further tributes, including the purchase of two “Tommy Statues”, an Armed Forces Day event in June, a commemorative service for VJ Day in August, and the annual Remembrance Parade and service in November.
The reversal has been widely welcomed by veterans’ groups, local residents, and opposition parties, who view the decision as a reaffirmation of respect for the sacrifices made during the Second World War.
