A petition has been launched to persuade Medway Council to fly the rainbow flag at its offices following the mass shooting at a gay bar in Orlando.

Local authorities across the UK have chosen to display the colourful standard, a symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) pride, following the massacre in the early hours of Sunday morning.

A total of 49 people were killed, and a further 53 injured, in the deadliest attack in recent US history which has prompted a massive outpouring of grief on a global scale.

But when Medway Council was asked yesterday to display the flag at Gun Wharf in Chatham, it has refused.

Medway Labour leader Vince Maple made the request on behalf on Cllr Tristan Osborne, who is gay.

Cllr Osborne said: “It is not party political it is about showing solidarity with LGBT staff and residents. We are asking for a very small symbol to respect what has happened.

“I’m hoping the LGBT community, of which I am part, will support the petition.”

Other councils around the country have displayed the flag and yesterday Plymouth City Council promised to do so, after initially refusing. A petition collected 300 signatures and the council received a string of complaints.

Cllr Osborne said: "The petition I have launched is very similar to the one in Plymouth and I’m hoping it will result in a similar response. Plymouth council has understood that it is a very small gesture but an important one.

“Medway is a Stonewall council that prides itself on respecting diversity, and rightly so, so I hope they will look at this decision again."

He added: "It is disappointing that there has to be a petition at all, I am very unhappy about it.”

The petition has attracted more than 100 signatures in just a few hours.

Council leader Alan Jarrett has been contacted for a comment.

To add your signature, visit www.change.org and search ‘Rainbow flag Medway Council’ or click here.