Outrage as Progressive Councils Shell Out Big Bucks to Remove England and Union Flags from Streets

Table of Contents

1. Spending on Flags
2. Costs of Removal
3. Community Initiatives
4. Personal Story

COUNCILS have expended over £70,000 to remove England and Union Jack flags from public streets.

These flags were displayed across the country during the summer — partly as a response to

Councils have incurred significant costs removing flags from the streetsCredit: Anita Maric / SWNS

Freedom of Information requests revealed that over £30,000 was spent by one council alone, while Medway faced a £12,000 expense to take down 727 flags.

Labour councillor Alex Paterson told BBC Kent that the expenditure was “well spent,” asserting that the flag campaign was instigated by “far-right agitators.”

Nevertheless, many other councils reported flag removals but did not document the specific costs involved.

In contrast, a Reform-led council is allocating £75,000 to install 150 flags to “enhance community spirit and cohesion” — despite a £3.1 million budget overspend this year.

Earlier this week, we disclosed how a 50-year-old flag was taken down by the council last month.

Ray Betts, an 86-year-old former merchant navy worker, has displayed the flag outside his flat for more than fifty years — affixed to the stump of a cherry blossom tree where he used to sit with his late wife, Kay.

Five weeks ago, he awoke to find it missing, and Waltham Forest Council later acknowledged that they had removed it.

However, after The Sun reached out to the council, Ray was reunited with his flag.

He expressed to The Sun: “I was very upset about how they handled it.

“I’m relieved to have it back, and they seem to understand that I am not affiliated with any movement.”