Downing Avenue ought to fly Middlesex flag, say Conservatives
Westminster is embroiled in one other row over flags – this time over whether or not Downing Avenue ought to fly the county colors of Middlesex.
The county of Middlesex not exists, however earlier Conservative governments have flown the flag on 16 Might, Middlesex Day, to have fun the historic county in addition to the position it performed within the Peninsular Struggle in opposition to Napoleon.
The Labour authorities has mentioned it has no plans to fly any county flags above the PM’s official residence.
It has prompted the Tories to accuse ministers of “hating something conventional about Britain”.
Chatting with GB Information, the celebration’s shadow paymaster common Richard Holden mentioned: “It saddens me that Labour are blissful to fly no matter woke flag comes off their manufacturing line however in relation to our historic county flags they aren’t .”
On Thursday, a Downing Avenue spokesperson mentioned the prime minister “has delight in celebrating our heritage” and pointed to a St Georges Day reception he hosted final month.
In response to a written parliamentary query, Cupboard Workplace minister Abena Oppong-Asare mentioned: “There are at present no plans to fly county flags above Downing Avenue.”
No 10’s Middlesex flag-flying custom just isn’t significantly lengthy having been began throughout the federal government of Boris Johnson, whose then constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip sits in what was once Middlesex.
The flag is being flown within the New Palace Yard in Parliament.
In a social media put up, Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle mentioned: “Glad Middlesex Day… Do you know? Middlesex has featured in additional than 290 debate titles within the Home of Commons.”
Middlesex Day falls on the anniversary of the battle of Albuhera 1811, when the Middlesex Regiment of the British Military, together with Spanish and Portuguese troopers, held again Napoleon’s forces.
Through the bloody battle, the regiment’s wounded commander urged his males to “die arduous” – one of many earliest recorded makes use of of the phrase.
The county of Middlesex was abolished within the Sixties when it was absorbed into Better London, though its identify nonetheless pops up in areas throughout north London, most notably at Middlesex County Cricket Membership.
The query of flag-flying above authorities buildings has triggered political rows in recent times.
Earlier this month, Reform UK mentioned it might solely permit the union jack and St George’s flag to be flown above the buildings of councils it managed in England
Nevertheless, following objections it clarified that county flags would even be allowed.
Final yr, Conservative MP and former Residence Secretary Suella Braverman criticised the flying of the Progress Delight flag on the Residence Workplace.
Talking at a convention in the USA, she mentioned: “I could not even get the flag of a horrible political marketing campaign I disagreed with taken down from the roof of the federal government division I used to be imagined to be in command of.”
At city halls there have additionally been rows over choices by native councils to fly the Palestinian or Israeli flags.
The official steerage says that, the place authorities buildings have one flagpole, the union jack must be flown daily besides on sure events when different flags, such because the commonwealth flag or the Armed Forces Day flag are permissible.
For buildings with a couple of flagpole, the federal government steerage says the union jack ought to all the time be flown within the “superior place” for instance on the very best flagpole or within the centre.
