Summer recess has only just ended but the government has not enjoyed a relaxed return to Westminster. After Reform UK controlled the narrative over the holidays, with its ‘lawless Britain’ campaign and immigration announcement last week, Labour is struggling to take back control of the agenda. On Monday, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper made a statement to the Commons in which she laid out the government’s plan to overhaul the asylum system. Now, she has turned to the issue of flag flying.
The Raise the Colours campaign has seen parts of England fly St George’s and Union flags, with a group called the Weoley Warriors claiming responsibility for showing ‘the country how proud we are of our history, freedoms and achievements’. Outrage was sparked, however, after some council workers in London’s Tower Hamlets were pictured taking some British flags down. Other councils have given mixed responses to the flag-raising, with Labour-led Derby City council asking locals not to paint on roundabouts, while Reform-led councils have supported the operation. But in an attempt to persuade voters that the Labour government understands the wave of patriotism sweeping the country, Cooper has gone even further in a rather bizarre statement to Times Radio this morning.
Quizzed on the flag flying, the Home Secretary breezily told her interviewers:
I confess I have not just the Saint George’s flag, I have Saint George’s bunting. I have also Union Jack bunting, which is currently still hanging up on my garden shed. Um, I have Union Jack flags. We have Yorkshire rose flags and bunting as well. I actually even have some Yorkshire tea bunting, but that’s probably going a bit far for your question as well, so I do. I think flags are really important.
When pushed further about whether flags should be put on motorway gantries, for example, Cooper doubled down: ‘I would put them up anywhere.’ Crikey. Talk about overkill, eh?
Listen to the clip here:
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