Union Jacks to be removed from city lampposts amid 'disregard for true meaning'

Cllr Fox said the condition of some flags showed "disregard for their true meaning".

Putting his Question on Notice forward to Council Leader Shabina Qayyam, Cllr Fox said he was "deeply troubled by the seemingly arbitrary and possibly quasi-political manner in which our national flag has been attached to lampposts".

He added that the flags had been "put up without permission or a proper ceremony" and "left to deteriorate over time, in some cases hanging disrespectfully from one grommet."

Cllr Fox then requested council officers be able to "locate and remove these unauthorised and dishevelled flags".

He said they "exhibit disregard for their true meaning," and the move would be "a mark of respect for all those who have served and continue to serve our country."

However, Cllr Qayyam outlined the council’s current policy on unauthorised flags.

"The council's current position is that we will generally not be removing any of the flags unless they're a clear health and safety risk to the public," she said.

She continued: "That said, where flags are significantly damaged or worn, or where it's thought they may fall, officers will endeavour to remove them as swiftly as possible."

Cllr Qayyam also noted that the rising trend of Union Jacks was "mainly due to a sense of patriotism rather than to create division".

"Peterborough is home to many diverse communities and nobody should be made to feel unsafe or face racism under the symbolism of the flag," the Labour councillor added.

Last year, Peterborough Council confirmed it would not remove flags from lampposts, though it encouraged residents not to hang them up in the first place.

"We are concerned about the risks to those who are putting these flags up at height, and also the safety of motorists and pedestrians, as anyone driving along this stretch of road could have their concentration diverted from the road, other vehicles and pedestrians," Cllr Dennis Jones said at the time.

In the summer, there was a tidal wave of Union Jacks erected across the country. Some councils reacted by immediately removing them.

In Cambridgeshire, more than 100 flags were taken down by council workers, who deemed them a "safety issue" on the highways.

The debate has continued through this year. Just last week, 1,000 flags were removed after Derby City Council demanded residents end the Operation Raise the Colours campaign.

Cllr Sarah Chambers said in a statement at the time that it "fully" supported people who wished to fly flags on their own properties, but it was "time to put this campaign of flag flying to an end" to make way for "seasonal events".

Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter