London Pride: 30,000 take part in biggest ever gay pride parade

It is estimated that tens of thousands are taking part in London Pride. The capital city has been decked with rainbow flags and packed with revellers as they celebrate LGBT progress.

The parade left Baxter Street at 1pm and snaked along Regent Street, Pall Mall and Trafalgar Square before ending at Whitehall at 4:30pm.

Celebrations will also be running in Soho and the West End throughout the day.

#Pride #Pride2015 #LondonPride #GayUK pic.twitter.com/vJiJqIb6Lb

— Grant (@SnowAndBeach) June 27, 2015

It has been reported that UKIP's LGBT group has joined the parade, despite having their application to take part rejected by organisers who cited concern for the 'safety' of other participants.

I think @ukiplgbt a little stunned that they managed to stealth join #Pride parade. pic.twitter.com/qygRIBnPeT

— Daniella Zalcman (@dzalcman) June 27, 2015

We are ready for #PrideinLondon #LGBT #UKIP pic.twitter.com/LLQL07BIrM

— LGBT* in UKIP (@ukiplgbt) June 27, 2015

Over 260 different groups and organisers are taking part in the festivities.

#PridePoliceSelfie @metpoliceuk @MetPoliceEvents @lgbtfriend pic.twitter.com/Uh2V2gcjvS

— Met LGBT Liaison (@MetLGBT) June 27, 2015

#LondonPride drag queens coming out for cancer research pic.twitter.com/JnmXfjKkMk

— The Most Cake (@Cakettes) June 27, 2015

In a sign of solidarity with members of the LGBT community in other countries, flag bearers carried more than 200 international flags as they walked the route.

Flags of the world #LondonPride pic.twitter.com/oR9eua7tRB

— Nicola Butler (@Nicola_Butler1) June 27, 2015

Pride of place was the American flag, following the US Supreme Court's ruling yesterday that same-sex marriage is a constitutional right which should be afforded to every citizen.

Americans representing at #LondonPride #USAInUK. Lots of pride for the USA all around the world today! #LoveWins pic.twitter.com/Lgzz3sj5V9

— William Bouvel (@wobbilly) June 27, 2015

The theme of this year’s event is Pride Heroes and Alan Turing has been selected as one of the LGBT figures who is being celebrated.

Family members including his great-niece Clare Dowling are representing the legacy of the revolutionary computer scientist. She marched alongside Japanese technology company Fujitsu who have chosen Turing as their Pride Hero for his contribution to technology.

Alan Turing was among a team that solved the 'uncrackable' Enigma Code

The mathematician paved the way for the modern computer with his ground breaking work during the Second World War but was prosecuted for homosexual acts in 1952. As part of his punishment, he was chemically castrated and he died in 1954 from suspected suicide. His story was recently told in the film The Imitation Game, staring Benedict Cumberbatch.

A spokesperson for Fujitsu said: “Given the huge impact Turing had on our industry and on the lives of the public who rely so heavily on technology, he was an obvious choice for our Pride Hero. We’re honoured to be walking with his family and proud to be taking part in London Pride.”

Participants at last year's Gay Pride Parade in London

Amid the revelry, one group of LGBT activists held a 'funeral' in parallel to the parade, marking the 'death' of Pride, which they claim has taken place due to the event being increasingly commercialised.

Protesters hold #funeral for the #death of #pride to corporate interests @OccupyDemocracy @RuptlyNewsroom pic.twitter.com/0ZEAe7rVTG

— Jon Scammell (@JonScammell) June 27, 2015

Today’s pride parade is expected to have been the biggest to date- 30,000 people are estimated as having taken part. Over the course of the last week, approximately 950,000 people have taken part in London Pride events, breaking a previous record of 750,000 people.