MI6 boss defends intelligence service after Nigel Farage criticised it for flying Pride Flag from its building for Pride Month

Richard Moore, the chief of MI6, has defended the secret intelligence service, saying "your sexual orientation is no bar to you working and thriving at MI6”, after Nigel Farage criticised it for flying the Pride Flag from its London headquarters for Pride Month. 

Using his GBNews show as a platform, the Reform UK leader said flying the Pride flag is "not what our intelligence services are for".

In a post on social media, Moore confirmed: "To mark Pride Month and to stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ colleagues, MI6 is proudly flying the pride flag from Vauxhall Cross alongside the Union flag for the whole month of June.

To mark Pride month, and to stand in solidarity with our LGBTQ+ colleagues, #MI6 is proudly flying the Pride flag from Vauxhall Cross, alongside the Union Flag, for the whole month of June. Your sexual orientation is no bar to you working and thriving at MI6 #Pride2025

— Richard Moore (@ChiefMI6) June 3, 2025

"Your sexual orientation is no bar to you working and thriving at MI6 #Pride2025."

Farage ranted on GBNews: "This is nonsense, this is absolutely nonsense. We just don't need this. Quite honestly, it really makes me angry. It's not what our intelligence services are for."

"I don't mind them flying the national flag, but this, I mean, have I got something wrong here? Is any of this necessary?

Farage continued: "We don't need this nonsense, do we? I don’t care [in their sex or gender]. I'm not interested."

MI6 has flown the Pride Flag from its headquarters for many years and has flown the trans flag to mark Trans Day of Visibility since 2021.