Overview

• Operation Raise the Colours has spurred St George’s and Union flags on lampposts, bridges and road surfaces across multiple towns and cities.
• Prime Minister Keir Starmer backed flag‑flying as patriotic but cautioned against divisive uses, while Home Secretary Yvette Cooper urged displays and stressed shared values.
• Councils are responding case by case, with Norfolk not prioritising removals, Derbyshire applying a risk‑based approach, and Wiltshire calling the paintwork vandalism that will cost taxpayers to repair.
• Thames Valley Police said highway painting will be probed as criminal damage and referred to highway authorities, with responses balancing freedom of expression and law enforcement.
• Anti‑extremist group HOPE not hate has highlighted links between campaign organisers and far‑right figures, and Norfolk MPs warned the flags are being used to intimidate near asylum accommodation as public reaction remains split.