23. May 2025

Reform UK-led council to take down some national flags to make way for Christmas decorations

Warwickshire County Council leader George Finch has announced that some Union Jack and St George’s flags, installed along streets since the summer, will be removed to allow local authorities to put up Christmas lights. In a statement posted on X, Finch said he had given permission for flags to be taken down in “specific” locations to enable safe installation of festive decorations.

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

Flags began appearing across the country in July, with people installing them on lamp posts, while St George crosses were also painted on some mini-roundabouts and pedestrian crossings. While the groups behind the flag installations said it was an expression of national pride, some questioned whether they were being put up to stoke division.

Finch supported the movement and said the flags represented everyone in the country, regardless of 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 preparing to put up their Christmas lights.

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

Finch emphasized that the flags will not be destroyed. Contractors highlighted health and safety concerns, 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 brought to my attention, the choice was clear: I either refused permission to remove flags and accepted that Christmas lights would not go up in certain streets this year, or gave 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 will remove the flags only in locations where lights will be installed, and people will be able to put them back up in the new year, “fresh, tidy and in good condition”, he added.

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