Nigel Farage promises to help Raise the Colours group in legal fight to put flags on lampposts
Raise the Colours have been attaching Union and St George’s Cross flags to lampposts in the Midlands and the south of England since last year
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has promised a co-founder of Raise the Colours that he will use his party’s legal resources to help them put flags on lampposts.
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Raise the Colours have been attaching Union and St George’s Cross flags to lampposts in the Midlands and the south of England since last year.
The actions have become contentious and several local authorities have removed them from public infrastructure.
While some politicians decried the removals, others claimed the increased number being flown was a result of xenophobia or racism.
Oxfordshire County Council was granted a High Court injunction in July to stop people placing flags near highways, which it said involved safety risks, as well as trespass and obstruction.
Now, Birmingham City Council is seeking a similar injunction.
It names organiser Ryan Bridge and six others, external as well as “persons unknown”, and if successful it would prevent anyone hanging flags.
Mr Bridge was in attendance at Reform UK’s party conference on Saturday and asked Mr Farage to read his proposal about how to raise flags in Reform council areas.
He said: “I’m the founder of a grassroots movement, Raise the Colours, across the UK, where we’ve shown patriotism and unity.
“I have obviously got an injunction against me from Oxfordshire County Council to not raise flags anywhere in Oxfordshire, and now Birmingham City Council, which is on its knees, government-funded, potholes everywhere, can’t collect the rubbish, are trying to put a £2.6 million injunction for removals against me.
“I’m in the High Court again on Tuesday. I would like to roll this out with you guys at Reform, and we have a legal and lawful way where we can raise flags in Reform council areas and do it the right way.
“Would you be happy to read my proposal and go forward?”
Responding, Mr Farage said: “I’ll give it to our lawyers. I can’t see why it shouldn’t be legal.
“And frankly, I mean, we’ve had too much of this, haven’t we? Too much of this. Too much of being told we should be ashamed of who we are and what we are, of our flag, our history, our culture, and all of those things.
“And I mean, Oxfordshire and Birmingham. I mean, they clearly actually hate the country.”
He added: “This is not new. This anti-flag, anti-British-English identity stuff has been around for a long time.
“What your campaign has done, it’s woken up vast parts of the country, but the old enemy is still there.
“If we can help you legally with this fight, we will help you. I promise.”