The teenage interim leader of Warwickshire County Council has been told to "get on with the job" as his party cause a stink over the Pride flag being displayed outside the council building.

Reform UK's leader and head of government efficiency have both released videos calling for the council's chief executive to step down after she refused to remove the Pride flag from outside Shire Hall after a request from interim leader Cllr George Finch.

Zia Yusuf accused Ms Fogarty of "subversion of democracy" and acting like the "monarch of Warwickshire".

The party's response has received criticism from opposition groups, with local MP Matt Western now telling the 18-year-old to "ditch the distractions".

"There are serious, significant issues that the interim leader should be directing his attention to, whether that be SEND, transport or adult social care: these are the actual issues that affect people's day to day lives," he said.  

"These acts of performative politics only seek to serve as a distraction tactic to cover Reform UK's failure to get on with the job they were elected to do.

"Leadership is about delivering for people and making their lives better. We are yet to see any evidence of their plans to deliver the real solutions that our county needs. 

Matt Western has weighed in on comments made by Reform on the chief executive of WCC (image via parliament.uk)

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"We're talking about a budget of more than £500 million. This requires full-time attention and a vision for Warwickshire, not procrastinating on the real issues by fussing about flags.  

"The public want good services which deliver for them. I can guarantee that one hundred times more residents wake up every day concerned about adult social care provision than they do concerned about what flag is outside Shire Hall.  

"This is just noise – the public wants to see responsibility and real delivery as that is what matters to people. We deserve to see action and a vision, not what we're seeing at the moment. It's time for them to get on with the actual job."

Reform had previously said it would only allow the Union Jack and St George's Flag to fly outside council buildings.

After Cllr Finch took interim charge, he reportedly emailed chief exec Monica Fogarty to tell her to remove the flag - which she refused to do, according to an email published by the Telegraph.

The flag was removed at the end of June as had been planned.

And with some criticising the age of the interim leader - who has taken over after the previous one stepped down after 41 days - Mr Western said his is more concerned by Cllr Finch's "lack of experience in local government or leading an organisation of this size".

"Leading a council is not the place to learn on the job," he said.

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