Brighton council faces backlash for taking down St George’s flags

"Suppressing the English flag does not stop division"

Under the 1980 Highway Act, the council recently announced that all flags along the seafront must be taken down, but that order has since been paused after 'verbal abuse' was directed towards the removal squad.

Councillor Bridget Fishleigh told the Argus newspaper: "Brighton and Hove City Council has advised that it has been making steady progress with the removal of the St. George's flags; however, some people have put up new ones.

"The contractors have faced verbal abuse while attempting to remove flags in certain locations. As a result, they have had to cease work in those areas. The contractors are unwilling to proceed with further removals unless police are present to ensure the safety of their staff. Sussex Police has confirmed that it will not have the resources available to support this work until next week."

In a piece for The Daily Mail, Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch labelled the council's flag ban 'shameful'.

"After years of politicisation by those who seek to diminish England's culture and Christian heritage, it is encouraging to see English flags flown proudly as symbols of unity, nationhood and optimism," she shared.

"So, it is shameful that some councils have scrambled to remove them at the first opportunity, even in the lead-up to VJ Day, while leaving banners of other nations and political causes untouched. This is not about by-laws or policy. Councils will say they are enforcing local rules, but the point is they apply those rules selectively."

Badenoch, who previously worked in the Cabinet for prime ministers Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, continued: "Suppressing the English flag does not stop division. It fuels it. If more councils embraced our shared national identity instead of fearing it, we would not be in a position where flying our own flag is seen as an act of rebellion."

Elsewhere in the fiery flag debate sits Dorset Council leader Nick Ireland, who believes that England's recent uptick in patriotically displaying the red cross on white is 'intimidating'.