Union flag is to be flown above Basingstoke Civic Offices

This week new guidance was announced requiring the Union flag to be flown on UK Government buildings every day in a bid to unite the nation.

Today Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council confirmed that the Union Flag will fly at the Civic Offices from summer, when the new guidance is set to be introduced.

Until the new rules are in place the council will continue to fly the Union Flag in accordance with national guidance.

At present, Union flags are only required to be flown on UK Government buildings on designated days, but the new guidance from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport will ask for it to be flown all the time in England, Scotland and Wales.

Government ministers said the changes would be a “proud reminder of our history and the ties that bind us”.

The new move will also allow dual flagging – where two flags can be flown on one pole, but legislation will not affect buildings in Northern Ireland.

Basingstoke residents had mixed views on the new rules when we asked for their opinions on Facebook.

Charles Carter wrote: “Yes, as long as the full history of the flag is told. Good and bad.”

Disagreeing Ray Skeates said: “No. It's only a bit of cloth. If they want to fly it, go for it, but shouldn't be compulsory.”

Tamsyn Courtney agreed with Ray, adding: “No, personal don't mind flag flying in the right place like at international sporting events but not in the nationalistic way this comes across as.”

Jenny Faulkner-Quick agreed with the new rules: “I just think they should, why not? Other countries don't have this issue, they just fly their flags on public buildings. I take it that the EU flags have been removed, as despite what councils may feel, they are meant to be apolitical and primary allegiance should always be to this country surely?”

As previously reported the Deputy Mayor of Andover, Councillor Lauren Banville, welcomed the news saying it was a "refreshing rule" and is important now the UK has left the European Union. 

She told us: “This is what Brexit was all about. It is recreating and refreshing and bringing us up to modern-day standards of the British Empire. I think it’s important not to forget that we are a British Empire and to be honest, I’ve been looking forward to the day when we are truly British.

“I know it’s controversial but if you look at it in terms of what other countries are doing, they always fly their flags and so we should fly our flags and we should be proud.

“We shouldn’t hesitate in doing that just because of a minority of people in the population that are opposed to it. I mean at the end of the day they’re here in our country, they’ve given us work we’ve given them what we’ve given them, everyone pays taxes so why not? 

She continued: “We live in Great Britain, I welcome it and I support it and I think that we need to go back to being the best British Empire that we can.”

We also contacted a number of councillors in Basingstoke but no one wanted to comment.

Councillor Onnalee Cubitt (Conservative, Old Basing) also declined to comment, saying: "I am afraid I have got no comment, thank you very much."

While Councillor David Coole (Andover Independents Party, Romans) said he didn't wish to offer his thoughts, saying: "I don't want to comment on this one."

The new rules haven't gone down well everywhere, with Scottish and Welsh politicians voicing unease. 

The SNP's Mhairi Black said: "If the Tories think an overload of union jacks on buildings is the answer to promote the strength of the union, then it shows how thin the case for the union is.

"Flags won't undo the poverty and hardship the Tories have created over the last decade," she said.

While Plaid Cymru MP Liz Saville Roberts said: "The Tories know that independence for Scotland is inevitable and that Wales will be hot on their heels.

"Sticking flags on every street corner will not change that fact, and rather, only reveals their desperate insecurity about the future of the UK", she said.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “The Union flag unites us as a nation and people rightly expect it to be flown above UK Government buildings.

“This guidance will ensure that happens every day unless another flag is being flown, as a proud reminder of our history and the ties that bind us.”

Mr Jenrick said: “Our nation’s flag is a symbol of liberty, unity, and freedom that creates a shared sense of civic pride.

“People rightly expect to see the Union flag flying high on civic and Government buildings up and down the country, as a sign of our local and national identity.

“That’s why I am calling on all local councils to fly the Union flag on their buildings – and today’s guidance will enable them to do that."