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Reform are spending £75,000 putting up Union flags in Nottingham

(246 Posts)
dragonfly46 Mon 27-Oct-25 10:43:40

Surely there are better ways to spend council money.

Wyllow3 Mon 27-Oct-25 20:58:57

"Yes, far-right groups and anti-immigration protestors frequently march and hold rallies with England and Union flags, sometimes to intimidate or protest against specific communities. This has become more common recently due to concerns over immigration, with campaigns like "Operation Raise the Colours" encouraging flag displays and some groups using the flag as a symbol of their nationalist and anti-immigrant views. "

www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=farright+marchers+with+england+flag&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

Allira Mon 27-Oct-25 21:00:51

It's the cultural meanings of what the flags have come to represent

That is exactly why it needs to be reclaimed, surely?

HowVeryDareYou2 Mon 27-Oct-25 21:12:55

growstuff I haven't been around and counted them, but that's not the point.

There are large poppies on all the lampposts in my neighbourhood

Maremia Mon 27-Oct-25 21:19:08

Poppies are a whole different thing. They are a symbol of Remembrance and respect.
Some lovely long stemmed versions here. Look great in a vase with 'gypsy'.

Wyllow3 Mon 27-Oct-25 21:39:05

HowVeryDareYou2

growstuff I haven't been around and counted them, but that's not the point.

There are large poppies on all the lampposts in my neighbourhood

Yes, mine too, its lovely.

nanna8 Tue 28-Oct-25 07:43:01

I strongly object to the Union Jack being referred to as an object of hatred and division. In fact I am appalled - it is a UNION Jack.

MaizieD Tue 28-Oct-25 07:46:03

nanna8

I strongly object to the Union Jack being referred to as an object of hatred and division. In fact I am appalled - it is a UNION Jack.

A great many of us strongly object to it being used as an instrument of hatred.

It works both ways…

growstuff Tue 28-Oct-25 09:52:15

nanna8

I strongly object to the Union Jack being referred to as an object of hatred and division. In fact I am appalled - it is a UNION Jack.

What do you think is the outcome of flying the flag? Are we all supposed to be in union linking hands and singing patriotic songs?

The fact is that flying the flag is divisive - even amongst people who are born, bred and culturally, ethnically and historically British.

Galaxy Tue 28-Oct-25 09:56:32

Don't know presumably the same outcome of flying pride flags, or Ukraine flags ( like the one on my car), people have never needed an outcome before.

Maremia Tue 28-Oct-25 10:03:28

Your pride flag is intended as support of Pride.
Your Ukraine flag is intended as support of Ukraine 🇺🇦
Correct me if I am wrong.
But, flying the Union flag or the Saint George flag, as some are doing just now, seems to have the intention of what?
The intention matters.

Astitchintime Tue 28-Oct-25 10:03:32

To be a little more precise…….the Reform NCC are replacing the frames that hold any type of flag, be it the Union Flag, Nottinghamshire flag, promoting Fostering flags………it is not for sole use of the Union flag!
Seemingly, some of the existing brackets and metalwork are damaged and worn……hence being replaced to prevent further damage/detachment that might cause injury to the public.

Galaxy Tue 28-Oct-25 10:18:16

But growstuff asked what the outcome would be, there is zero outcome from my Ukraine car sticker, I am not expected to justify why I have it or point to an expected outcome.

growstuff Tue 28-Oct-25 10:40:20

Galaxy

But growstuff asked what the outcome would be, there is zero outcome from my Ukraine car sticker, I am not expected to justify why I have it or point to an expected outcome.

Fair enough! Thanks for answering Galaxy. If there really is zero outcome from flying flags, £75k seems a lot of money to spend on zero return.

growstuff Tue 28-Oct-25 10:41:13

PS. I don't see the point of flying Pride flags either.

growstuff Tue 28-Oct-25 10:46:28

GalaxyYou can stick what you like on the inside of your own car or in your own property as far as I'm concerned. However, these flags in Nottingham are on public property and are funded with public money.

Galaxy Tue 28-Oct-25 11:36:53

Oh I agree I am not that interested in flags of any type, although probably makes me a hypocrite considering what I have just said about the flags on my car.

Maremia Tue 28-Oct-25 12:15:08

Nuanced? Possibly. Not necessarily a hypocrite.

Mauduit24 Tue 28-Oct-25 13:45:11

BlueBelle

It’s a nightmare here, we have a man on a mission, the next town to us is a reform foothold and don’t we suffer. The divisive flags of hate are being bought out of Reforms coffers
(I am told) and flying everywhere In the roads where there are few flying they have been positioned outside Asian owned shops Chinese and Indian restaurants I am so ashamed of my country and flag at the moment and very very sad

Bluebelle I’m with you on this one . They were moaning like heck round here recently when the flags were taken down so an episode of the new harry potter series could be filmed!.
Seeing the flag flying should bring a sense of pride but it doesn’t. It fills me with fear and shame . It fills me with a sense of dread for the future

Jess20 Tue 28-Oct-25 13:49:17

We've been driving up to London today and loads of union jack's on lamp posts - many of them upside down, which is a distress signal!

growstuff Tue 28-Oct-25 13:55:16

Jess20

We've been driving up to London today and loads of union jack's on lamp posts - many of them upside down, which is a distress signal!

Oh dear! Maybe they were meant as distress signals. Did you stop to investigate? wink

undines Tue 28-Oct-25 14:07:39

Surely I'm right in saying the left wing Birmingham council have spent similar sums taking flags down? I agree, Eazybee, our national flag is not about division and hate and I would hope that all Asian and other immigrants honour this flag and see it as a sign of welcome, a culture to be respectfully integrated with - just as we would feel if we were in, say, Bangladesh

growstuff Tue 28-Oct-25 14:19:11

undines I'm British and I don't like to see flags flying - do I get a say? Or is it just "patriots"? Whichever way you look at the issue, flags are divisive. As I wrote before, fly them on your own property or in your car if you want, but don't waste council tax payers' money on them.

Nagmad2016 Tue 28-Oct-25 14:20:31

Why would they be 'divisive flags'. Do you feel intimidated when you visit countries abroad and flags are flown on every building? It is a symbol of pride in their country. When the British do it, it's racist!!

MaizieD Tue 28-Oct-25 15:41:28

There are times when this forum feels like Groundhog Day.

We had a long, long discussion about those flags not so long ago but here we go again...

Astitchintime What you report about the replacing of frames was not exactly what was reported in the BBC report:

Reform-led Nottinghamshire County Council is to spend £75,000 installing new flags.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czdr3npe33do

I haven't seen any official rebuttal of this report.

newnanny Tue 28-Oct-25 15:46:52

Bankrupt Birmingham still not emptying all bins pay people to take flags down yet still won't empty the bins. Interestingly Palestinian flags were up for about 2 years and never taken down before the St George flags got put up.