Wakefield: The four flags councillors have voted to have flown from council buildings

Wakefield councillors have voted in favour of adopting a new flag flying policy.

Under the new protocol, only the Union Jack, the Cross of St George, Yorkshire’s white rose and the Armed Forces Day flag will be permitted to be flown from buildings that are owned or managed by the local authority.

Members of the council’s controlling Reform UK group voted unanimously in favour of a motion calling for the change at a meeting on Wednesday (Jul 29).

An opposition councillor who voted against the proposal described it as “unsafe and mean-spirited”.

Reform councillor Jamie McGrevy tabled the motion, which called for the Armed Forces Day flag to be added to the permitted list but for no others to be flown from council buildings.

He told the meeting: “As a council, we should be proud of our English heritage.

“We should no longer feel hesitant about expressing pride in being British and in what the Cross of St George, Union Jack, Armed Forces Day flag and the Yorkshire flag represents.

“For far too long recently, some groups have expressed that they feel uncomfortable or intimidated by our national flag – the British flag, the flag our forefathers fought and died under.

“It is important that we reaffirm that our national symbols belong to everyone and represent our shared history, identity, and values.”

Coun McGreavy, who represents Altofts and Whitwood ward, added: “Our council buildings are public institutions – they belong to every resident, regardless of background, belief, or political view.

“Because of that, the symbols we choose to display on them must represent all of us, not just some of us.

“The Cross of St George, the Union Jack, the Yorkshire flag and the Armed Forces Day flag are the only flags that meet that test.

Green Party councillor Kate Dodd spoke against the motion and listed range of flags which would no longer be allowed to be displayed.

She said: “The flag pole at Featherstone Town Hall, which is managed by the Royal British Legion, would not be allowed to fly the Royal British Legion flag – they are going to love that!

“Flying the Commonwealth Nations flag would be prohibited even on Commonwealth Day.

“Pontefract Castle, which flies the flag of the Duchy of Lancaster in recognition of the site’s connection to the Duchy, would no longer be allowed to fly this flag.

“We would be unable to fly the Merchant Navy flag – even if we wished to celebrate the courageous and often dangerous work of members of the Merchant Navy, such as we have seen recently in the Strait of Hormuz.”

Coun Dodd said the council would also have to refuse any Royal Family requests for a flag to be flown from a public building in the district.

She continued: “We would have to tell King Charles that Wakefield Council will not be responding to his request because our policy does not permit us to fly flags other than those on the list.

“To do otherwise would make a mockery of this motion.

“Should the district be lucky enough to receive a visit from a head of state of another country, we would not be able to fly the flag of that country.”

Coun Dodd, who represents Wakefield North, said the flags of Wakefield’s seven twin cities would also not be permitted, as well as the NHS flag.

She said: “We would not be allowed to fly the flag of another nation as we were proud to do all over the district to support the Ukrainians in their war against Russia a few years ago.

“Wakefield has its own flag, hanging proudly to the left of the Mayor in front of us. For what logical reason would we ban flying the Wakefield flag?

“This motion is unsafe and mean-spirited.

“Everyone in the chamber, and across the district, knows exactly what signal the motion is sending out – it’s one of division and exclusion.”

Adele Hayes, Liberal Democrat councillor for Knottingley, said: “The motion asks us to bind our own hands and I don’t think it’s a good thing to do.

“I think the better answer is a liberal one, keep the protocol and let the council leader (Karl Johnson), case by case, make his own judgement.”