Reform UK hit out at Mayor over failure to fly England flag

Reform assembly member Alex Wilson has launched a campaign to get the St George’s Cross displayed during England’s World Cup campaign reports Kumail Jaffer, Local Democracy Reporter

Three flags flying outside the headquarters of the Greater London Authority — Flags outside City Hall –
(Credit – Kumail Jaffer/LDRS)

The Mayor of London is facing increasing calls to fly the St George’s flag outside City Hall to show support for the England national football team during the World Cup.

Sir Sadiq Khan has come under pressure to do so from the Reform UK group on the London Assembly, who have launched a ‘Fly the Flag’ petition to be presented for consideration.

Currently, the Union Jack, the Ukrainian Flag and the Pride Flag are waving outside the mayoral headquarters in the Docklands building.

In the past, flags have been flown to mark or support Armed Forces Day, Bisexual Pride, the Commonwealth of Nations, the Council of Europe Jamaica, the King’s Coronation, Lesbian Pride, Pride Progress, the Welsh Red Dragon, Romani People, Saint Andrew’s Saltire, Saint Patrick’s Saltire, Transgender Pride and Windrush.

St George’s flag has been flown on six occasions, including ahead of England’s appearance in the final of the UEFA European Football Championship in 2024. The other five were to mark St George’s Day on 23rd April.

Reform assembly member Alex Wilson has now launched a campaign to make sure the St George’s Cross is on display outside City Hall for the duration of England’s World Cup campaign.

“It’s a huge national event, and I think it’s only right and proper that the London Assembly and the Greater London Authority as a whole should be visibly showing our support for the national team as they’re doing their very best over in North America at the moment,” he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

“I’ve been asking that the St George’s flag be flown from one of the flagpoles [outside City Hall].

“It’s only ever been flown on St George’s Day itself, and on one other occasion, which was when England reached the Euros final a couple of years ago.

“It should be flying as a measure of support during any major international sporting tournaments of football, cricket, rugby – whenever England is competing.”

During a Plenary session on Thursday (2nd July), deputy mayor for Culture, Justine Simons, told Wilson that she was not in “charge of flags” but said she would run the idea up the flagpole at City Hall.

However, the Reform UK assembly member said it was “utterly shameful” that the flag was not already flying, and questioned Sir Sadiq’s reluctance to make the move.

“There are some on the left that see the St George’s flag as being a symbol of the far-right, which it clearly isn’t,” he said.

“You look at the England team – it is a very multicultural team. It is a something the entire country, people from all walks of life, all backgrounds, should be able to get behind, particularly when the team is playing so well.

“You have to ask the mayor why there’s a reluctance, really – all we can do is keep the petition going, keep talking about it, try and see if things change in the future.”

Separately, the City Hall Tories made similar calls to ensure England’s flag is flying.

Susan Hall, leader of the Conservative group on the London Assembly, told the LDRS: “It is a disgrace that England’s flag is almost never flown at the City Hall of its capital city.

“We should be proud of our common identity, and a flag which we can unite under at a time when many feel so fractured.

“It would cost almost nothing and take almost no time to rectify – but its absence speaks volumes for the priorities and beliefs of our mayor, who views the flag as secondary to dozens of other causes and issues.”

A City Hall spokesperson told the LDRS: “The Union Flag is proudly flown every day outside City Hall and the St George’s Cross flies each year to mark St George’s Day.

“City Hall hosts a St George’s Day festival at Trafalgar Square every year to celebrate everything that is great about England and regularly supports screenings and celebration events to bring Londoners together in honour of England’s sporting success.”

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