New Reform UK decision sees Ukraine, Pride and Black History Month flags removed from outside North Northants Council buildings

Flags ditched by the new leadership include the Progress Pride Flag to support the LGBTQ+ community and the pan-African flag marking Black History Month as well as the blue and yellow Ukraine flag.

Cllr Martin Griffiths (Reform/Croyland and Swanspool), leader of North Northants Council (NNC), had said that changes to flags were ‘not the top priority’ for his team.

But the change to the protocol is the first obvious change in policy by the new regime elected by a landslide on May 1, signalling their intent to ‘focus on flying the Union Flag’.

Cllr Griffiths said: “Flying the Union Flag is of course important. The other flag that we are keen to fly is one of better public services for the residents of north Northamptonshire and this is where we are keen to focus our finite resources.” He added that it was his ‘group’s decision’.

A council spokesman said: “The council’s flag flying protocol was amended recently. The council will focus on flying the Union Flag every day where possible and other national flags when it is appropriate to do so.

"The council is committed to flying of the Union Flag which is one of the most recognisable symbols of British national identity.”

A copy of the new protocol has been requested by the Northants Telegraph.

Until the end of May, Ukrainian flags flew outside NNC’s legacy council offices – at the Corby Cube, Bowling Green Road in Kettering, Swanspool in Wellingborough and East Northants House in Cedar Drive, Thrapston.

A previously drawn-up list had earmarked June 1 to fly the Pride flag – a celebration of inclusion, progress, and diversity – for the whole month.

The decision has disappointed members of the opposition.

Cllr Scott Brown (Con/Earls Barton) said: “In previous years I’ve been very proud to see the Pride Flag adorning our social media channels and flying outside our buildings during Pride Month.

“It’s a small but significant show of support for a community who have been marginalised, systematically excluded, disadvantaged and oppressed. This show of support has given those communities the faith that in North Northants Council, they have a council who will treat them with the dignity, respect and tolerance that has often been lacking. “I hope that the lack of support shown this year is merely an oversight and not something more sinister. We were, after all, assured at our annual meeting a few weeks ago, that North Northants Council would not be led from Westminster by diktat.”

NNC official opposition leader Cllr Helen Harrison (Con/Oundle) said she didn’t get ‘massively exercised by flags being flown’.

She said: “I don’t object to a clean flag flying policy. It’s one of the less important things to get worried about.”

Labour group leader Cllr Mark Pengelly (Lab/Lloyds and Corby Village) said he was disappointed the Pride and the Ukraine flags would not be flown outside NNC HQ in the Corby Cube.

He said: “This month we are celebrating Pride in Corby. Corby Town Council is running a Pride event where thousands of people will be attending. In the past the Pride Flag has been flown outside the Cube. It’s disappointing that it won’t be flown this year.

"Corby was formed by people from all parts of the country, Europe and the world. We have welcomed families from Ukraine and we should be showing solidarity and standing arm in arm with them.”

Cllr Jim Hakewill (Ind/Rothwell and Mawsley), leader of the Communities Alliance, said: “I think it’s disappointing that the whole council and community is unable to fly different flags for example during Pride Month, and other flags which recognise different communities in our country. That said, if that is the wish of the majority group, they have the right to make that decision.

"North Northants is incredibly diverse and has been for generations and I hope we continue to welcome that diversity.”