Council snubs MP's call to fly the flag
THE PRIME Minister's call for the Union Jack to fly proudly from every government building has been snubbed by Islington Council which says it prioritises wind turbines over flags.
In the wake of the recent failed bombings, Gordon Brown urged all government premises to hoist the historic red, white and blue flag in defiance of terrorism and to promote Britishness.
Although the British Flag already flutters over Islington Town Hall, the council refuses to pay to put flags poles on other buildings such as the municipal office at 222 Upper Street.
The policy was slammed by war veteran Bill Bayliss, an former Islington councillor, who fought the Nazis in Africa, Italy and Greece in World War Two. He said: "I am staggered. During the war we followed the flag everywhere - where the flag would go, we would go. If our flag was captured we would have given up our lives to get it back. If you're not proud of your flag, you're not proud of your country."
Council leader James Kempton pointed out that the Union Jack had flown over the town hall since 2000 and added: "I'm not aware of any other council buildings with flag poles. I don't think he [Gordon Brown] meant every building the council owns should have a flag on it. We're proud to fly the Union Jack from the town hall but I am more concerned with wind turbines than flags.
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