The Pink Ladies have returned to the public imagination. This new front in Britain’s anti-immigration movement has been increasingly loud about their protests and the unusual beliefs they hold about immigration and women’s safety. Orla Minihane Follow Orla Minihane as Reform UK’s vice-chair for Epping Forest, she’s carrying the torch. In Do No Harm’s cover material, the group unflinchingly asserts that Britain is “under attack” and “being invaded.” If that’s the case their activism is just getting started. A recent demonstration in Chelmsford demonstrated this momentum, attracting 200+ women in pink to march and chant fervently for their efforts.
On August 8, the Pink Ladies met over murals at Bell Hotel in Epping. Given the stakes, they spoke out fervently, with Minihane flying under the radar. As at the protest, principal marchers carried words from an elder protester’s speech to provoke attention to the violence of perilous immigration. Beyond that, they played up safety concerns that really resonated with their base. That kind of alignment with the public fears on other societal issues would be a profound change. Suddenly, once-unthinkable initiatives championed by the reactionary right are mustering support from a much broader coalition of actors.
The Chelmsford Vigil and Its Significance
The protest that went out in Chelmsford became an important touchstone for the Pink Ladies. In a vivid display of unity, participants waved pink flags, wearing pink ponchos, berets, and leggings in support. At the heart of this gathering was a vigil for five women Minihane claimed had been “murdered at the hands of an illegal migrant catastrophe.” This vigil was just particularly emotional. It highlighted the coalition’s message that immigration policy is a key driver of increasing violence against women.
Orla Minihane not just for her inspiring passionate speeches but for her radically creative approach to activism. She performed a song she wrote while wearing a sequinned suit, further illustrating her commitment to rallying support through creative means. Her grit definitely resonated with the Women’s Summit participants. Despite their political differences, many of them expressed the same priorities for a return to law and order in their communities.
“We are not going to be sacrificial lambs to your multicultural nonsense anymore.” – Orla Minihane
This attitude permeated the entire five-day event, as the majority of the attendees spoke passionately and disapprovingly about migrants and/or the increase of crime. One speaker stated, “The crime emanating from these hotels is off the charts,” highlighting the group’s focus on safety concerns linked to immigration.
The Profile of a Pink Lady
Though accounting for that shift in composition, Minihane believes the average Pink Lady is still the white, middle-class mom. This demographic representation is vital to understanding the group’s increasing clout and allure. As women become more militarized and active within hard-right politics, their organizing and outreach is changing the narrative on immigration and public safety.
Lucy Connolly, another member of the Pink Ladies, participated in a panel discussion during the Reform UK party conference in September. Connolly’s background only deepens the complexity of the movement. She is a convict who has served time in prison for incitement to racial hatred online. Her participation highlights how once divisive figures are finding unusual allies in this newly formed political terrain.
The arrival of the Pink Ladies is a testament to the growing trend. Traditional political boundaries are being erased, providing new space for previously silenced voices to be heard. As Minihane noted, “I’ve tried to create a movement where I say, ‘You can come. You do have a voice.’”
Shifting Support for Hard Right Politics
The Pink Ladies’ radicalization represents a dangerous trend— expanding support for hard-right social movements among women. Reform UK, under Nigel Farage’s leadership, has seen an increase in female support, with polling indicating that 13% of women’s votes align with the party as opposed to 17% of men’s votes in 2024. This startling evolution hints at a broader, tectonic shift in political dynamics with more women flocking to hard-right, anti-LGBTQ+ agendas.
As advocates champion this transformative transition, critics warn of the dangers posed by a move in this direction. Andrea Simon, director of a domestic violence charity, remarked that “the far right has long exploited the cause of ending violence against women and girls to promote a racist, white supremacist agenda.” This perspective misses the greater threat to women’s safety. It cautions against the danger that some will try to take advantage of these problems for political purposes.
Yet even in the face of these devastating critiques, Minihane has not wavered in her misinformed convictions. “How am I extremist? I’m just a mom who’s worked her whole life, who’s bringing up three children, who lives in suburbia,” she asserted during one of her speeches. This framing casts her and her fellow Pink Ladies as role models and everyday heroes, consistently fighting for their communities’ safety.
Debates over migration and criminality have taken over the political discourse in the United Kingdom. In this respect, the Pink Ladies illustrate how responsive grassroots movements can be to social anxieties that develop rapidly. Their protests are symptomatic of a deepening annoyance with impunity, and an upsurge in public calls for real accountability on the issue of immigration.
