𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙃𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙙𝙤𝙣 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙡 𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧, 𝙄𝙖𝙣 𝙀𝙙𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨, 𝙤𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙁𝙡𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙛 𝙐𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙁𝙡𝙖𝙜𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙎𝙩. 𝙂𝙚𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚
‘The display of the Union Flag and the Cross of St. George across various locations in the borough forms part of a broader national campaign that has garnered support from senior politicians across the political spectrum. For example, Robert Jenrick has publicly shared images of himself affixing a Union Flag to a lamppost, and the Prime Minister has expressed support for patriotic displays, and has chosen not to intervene in this initiative.
At the heart of this movement lies a growing public concern that the current levels of illegal immigration are unsustainable, poorly managed, and lack a clear resolution. Many residents are voicing their frustrations more openly which is their democratic right.
The flying of national flags is, for many, a peaceful expression of both that frustration and a deep pride in their country and its values, which some feel are changing too rapidly. While I understand concerns about the origins of this campaign, I am not willing to regard our national flags as symbols of racism that must be removed on that basis alone.
There is precedent for the Council to allow peaceful protest via lamppost displays. In the Heathrow villages, for instance, placards opposing the third runway are visible on nearly every lamppost, and we have chosen not to intervene.
I do not accept the notion that everyone who opposes illegal immigration or wishes to express national identity within their community is aligned with far-right ideology. There will come a time when these flags are removed, but this will most likely occur as part of our routine lamppost maintenance programme.’