Overview

• Shropshire Council removed deteriorated St George’s and Union flags after Storm Amy, saying damaged or unsecured displays risked obscuring road signs or falling into traffic.
• Conservative MP Sir John Hayes criticised the removals, questioning the safety rationale, while earlier comments from deputy leader Alex Wagner highlighted maintenance and cost concerns.
• In Stockport, Labour councillors Joe Byrne and Claire Vibert urged takedowns on community cohesion grounds, as council leader Mark Roberts maintained a safety-first approach to avoid escalating tensions.
• Birmingham saw contrasting actions, with Raise the Colours volunteers reinstalling a large Kingstanding roundabout display as city officials removed flags from Harborne High Street under routine safety procedures.
• Pressure intensified elsewhere, with a South Gloucestershire protest backing the flags, York’s MP Rachael Maskell reporting intimidation and a death threat targeting removal workers, and Loughborough MP Dr Jeevun Sandher calling for lamp-post flags to come down over safety and inclusivity concerns.