Council rules St George's flags to remain in place unless they pose 'safety risk'

Some councils have said flags would be removed from street furniture and roundabouts if they compromised safety.

This includes Kirklees Council, who said it would take a similar approach, assessing reports on a case-by-case basis.

A spokesman from the council said: "The council proudly flies the Union flag on our town halls throughout the year. We also support residents’ right to display flags on their property or businesses.

"Flags that have been attached to or painted on to public infrastructure such as lampposts, roundabouts, and street furniture may pose safety risks to pedestrians, motorists, and those installing them.

"The council will assess reports on a case-by-case basis and will remove flags if there is a risk to pedestrians, motorists or public safety.

"We are currently monitoring the situation and recording any actions that we take. Any actions will be based on safety, legality, and consistency."

Meanwhile, just up the M1 in York, the city Council has u-turned after initially saying it would not take down St George's and British flags when they first started to be put up in August.

City of York Council Leader, Councillor Claire Douglas, said there had been a rise in "totally unacceptable racist attacks" and graffiti in the city has coincided with the increased flag flying.

She continued to say that communities are feeling "threatened and uncomfortable" by the flags which she claimed "cannot go on."

The cost of the operation in York was expected to come with a £250,000 price tag.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

• Council worker taking down England flags 'doesn't want to come into work tomorrow' after being heckled for doing his job
• Keir Starmer vows Britain will 'never surrender flag' to protesters who use it as 'symbol of fear'
• While 150,000 waved flags not fists, a leafy town revealed why this is a turning point — Kelvin MacKenzie

In Rotherham, Cabinet Member for Street Scene and Green Spaces, Councillor Lynda Marshall, said that any "flags or graffiti" that could cause risk to locals would be removed "as soon as possible".

She told a meeting: "The council does not permit use of public assets or the public realm for political purposes.

"Any political banner, poster, or offensive material will be removed immediately.

"Flags or graffiti that pose a risk to pedestrians or road users will be removed as soon as possible."

Britain's ongoing flag row has sparked a fiery clash on GB News, as commentator Nigel Nelson argued that the patriotic display could be perceived as "divisive".

Debating the campaign by Britons on GB News, Dr Renee Hoenderkamp shut down Mr Nelson's remarks, stating that it is "our national flag" and "our identity".

Dr Hoenderkamp said: "What it actually demonstrates is we have no identity in this country for our young people and some of our older people to buy into.

"And when you lose that identity, you get this fractured society that we are now seeing where nobody's allowed to rally around and say, this is British.

"Then what it does is when we have mass migration, it doesn't allow the migrants to buy into anything, because nobody knows what it is.

"I'm embarrassed for those girls stamping on the flag and pulling it down."

Questioning the motive of the flags being put up by Britons, Mr Nelson told the GB News panel: "I'm getting at the actual motive behind it.

"The idea that it's purely a patriotic gesture, it's love of the country, that doesn't feel right given the current circumstances.

"I'm not suggesting that it's far right, I'm saying that they are being provocative by doing it."

Host Bev Turner interjected: "I'd say they've been provoked into doing it.

"I really hope that Sir Keir Starmer and his Government are actually contemplating what is motivating people to assert their national identity in this way, as opposed to saying 'they are trying to provoke something'."