Reform council to remove some flags for Christmas

Council leader George Finch said the move would make way for Christmas decorations

Some union jack and St George's flags, put up along streets since the summer, are set to be taken down by a Reform UK-led council.

Warwickshire County Council leader George Finch said the decision had been made to allow local councils to install Christmas lights.

In a statement posted on X, Finch said he gave permission for flags to be removed in "specific" locations so lights can be installed safely.

He said: "I will not deprive our towns and villages of their Christmas lights, which are key drivers of local pride."

Flags started appearing across the country in July, with people installing them on lamp posts, with St George crosses also painted on some mini-roundabouts and pedestrian crossings.

While the groups putting up the flags said it was for national pride, some questioned whether they were being installed to cause division.

Finch supported the movement and said they represented everybody in the country, no matter their religion or race.

Speaking on X, he said: "I am immensely proud of our national flags. Like many, I have been delighted to see residents across Warwickshire flying them in our town and village centres.

"However, as we head into the Christmas period, local councils are now putting up their Christmas lights.

"In a number of places, contractors have advised that they will not install lights on lampposts which already have flags fixed to them."

Finch said the flags will not be destroyed.

St George's flags and union jacks have been put on lamp posts in several areas since the summer

Finch said "clear" health and safety issues were raised by contractors - including flags wrapping around lamp columns in wet and windy conditions and potentially coming into contact with lights - which could create a fire risk.

He said: "Once these concerns were put to me, the choice was stark: I either refused permission to remove flags and accepted that Christmas lights would not go up in certain streets this year, or give permission to councils to take down flags in those specific locations so that lights can be installed safely.

"I have chosen the pragmatic option. This was a moment that was always going to come.

"No one could realistically have expected the flags, exposed to the elements on busy streets, to remain in perfect condition forever.

"In five or ten years' time, many of them would be faded, torn and hanging in a sorry state. That is not how we should treat the flags of our nation."

Councils would take down the flags in locations where lights will be installed and people could put them back up in the new year, "fresh, tidy and in good condition", he added.