COUNCIL bosses have urged unity ahead of this year’s London Pride Festival in response to a mass shooting in a gay nightclub in Orlando.

The deadliest mass shooting in recent American history left 50 people dead, including gunman Omar Mateen in the early hours of Sunday morning at the Pulse nightclub.

Today, Harrow Council leader Sachin Shah and chief executive Michael Lockwood announced that a walking group would take part in this year’s London Pride event, showing the support of councillors, community groups and local schools towards the LGBT community.

They said the march was made “more poignant and more important than ever” by the events in Florida.

In a statement, they said: “We have all been shocked and saddened by the events that took place in Orlando over the weekend.

“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the injured and the friends and families of the victims in this terrible and tragic attack on the LGBT community.”

Mr Shah and Mr Lockwood also praised the diversity of Harrow’s communities, saying they formed a large part of the borough’s strength.

They added: “Whenever events such as this happen, wherever they take place in the world, we are united with people of all faiths and backgrounds in condemning the perpetrators and mourning those who have lost their lives.

“The council is absolutely committed to building a proud, fair and cohesive borough as part of our equalities vision.”