Westminster is embroiled in another row over flags – this time over whether Downing Street should fly the county colours of Middlesex.
The previous Conservative government began a tradition in 2022 of flying the ensign on 16 May, to celebrate the historic north London county which used to include Downing Street.
But the Labour government has said it has no plans to fly any county flags above the PM’s official residence.
It has prompted the Tories to accuse ministers of “hating anything traditional about Britain”.
Speaking to GB News, the party’s shadow paymaster general Richard Holden said: “It saddens me that Labour are happy to fly whatever woke flag comes off their production line but when it comes to our historic county flags they are not interested.”
On Thursday, a Downing Street spokesperson said the prime minister “has pride in celebrating our heritage” and pointed to a St Georges Day reception he hosted last month.
In response to a written parliamentary question, Cabinet Office minister Abena Oppong-Asare said: “There are currently no plans to fly county flags above Downing Street.”
No 10’s Middlesex flag-flying tradition is not particularly long having been started during the government of Boris Johnson, whose then constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip sits in what used to be Middlesex.
The flag is being flown in the New Palace Yard in Parliament.
In a social media post, Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said: “Happy Middlesex Day… Did you know? Middlesex has featured in more than 290 debate titles in the House of Commons.”
Middlesex Day falls on the anniversary of the battle of Albuhera 1811, when the Middlesex Regiment of the British Army, along with Spanish and Portuguese soldiers, held back Napoleon’s forces.
During the bloody battle, the regiment’s wounded commander urged his men to “die hard” – one of the earliest recorded uses of the phrase.
The county of Middlesex was abolished in the 1960s when it was absorbed into Greater London, although its name still pops up in areas across north London, most notably at Middlesex County Cricket Club.
The question of flag-flying above government buildings has triggered political rows in recent years.
Earlier this month, Reform UK said it would only allow the union jack and St George’s flag to be flown above the buildings of councils it controlled in England
However, following objections it clarified that county flags would also be allowed.
Last year, Conservative MP and former Home Secretary Suella Braverman criticised the flying of the Progress Pride flag at the Home Office.
Speaking at a conference in the United States, she said: “I couldn’t even get the flag of a horrible political campaign I disagreed with taken down from the roof of the government department I was supposed to be in charge of.”
At town halls there have also been rows over decisions by local councils to fly the Palestinian or Israeli flags.
The official guidance says that, where government buildings have one flagpole, the union jack should be flown every day except on certain occasions when other flags, such as the commonwealth flag or the Armed Forces Day flag are permissible.
For buildings with more than one flagpole, the government guidance says the union jack should always be flown in the “superior position” for example on the highest flagpole or in the centre.
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