Basingstoke MP supports England flags but not on lampposts

Luke Murphy says the English flag “is for everyone” and must not be used to make Basingstoke residents feel excluded.

Speaking to Mark Jones at a #StrongerTogetherForum event, the Labour MP said he supports the flag and is proud of his family’s history of service in the armed forces, but drew a clear line between celebrating the flag and how it has been used on lampposts in Basingstoke over the past year.

“I’m a great supporter of our flag. I feel really proud to wear an England shirt, and my family have served under that flag to defend our country. We’re incredibly proud of it,” he said.

A Union flag near Oakridge Roundabout

“But our flag is for everyone. No one should feel it’s doing anything other than representing them, because we’re a diverse country, we’re a diverse town. I don’t support people who try to use the flag to divide us and intimidate people – we need to make sure the flag is for everyone.”

Flags have appeared on public lampposts in Oakridge, Brighton Hill, Viables and Beggarwood over the past year, sparking a petition calling on Hampshire County Council to apply “clear and consistent rules” and a rival group’s campaign to remove flags it says breach the Highways Act 1980.

Mr Murphy wants the flag celebrated “properly”, not flown at half-mast from street furniture.

“There are clear rules about what you can attach to lampposts, but that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate our flag.

Flags on a Basingstoke roundabout

"I’d like to see more official ways to fly it – proper flagpoles at civic buildings, official ceremonies – rather than having flags at half‑mast on lampposts, which I don’t think reflects what the flag means to me or to the country,” he said.

He also linked the row to wider economic pressures, warning that hardship can make it “easier” for people to look for someone to blame.

“If we don’t fix things like the cost‑of‑living crisis, it becomes easier to divide, easier to blame other people and say ‘it’s this person’s fault’ or ‘that group’s fault’. We need to work really hard to stop that,” he said.

Hampshire County Council says it will remove flags from lampposts only if they pose a safety risk, not simply because they are unauthorised.

MP Luke Murphy outside his office

Council leader Cllr Nick Adams‑King has said: “If a flag is dangerous or obstructive, covering road signs or blocking junction views, we’ll remove it,” adding that flags which are “safe and not causing issues” will not be taken down.

The council removed seven flags from Hampshire’s highways network in the past year during routine maintenance or inspections, not a targeted enforcement drive.

The Highways Act 1980 does not permit flags or other items to be attached to lampposts without the highway authority’s consent, and campaigners say the council should enforce that rule consistently, but the council says public safety, not a flag’s content or symbolism, is its priority.

By June 11, a petition calling for the flags to be removed had attracted 1,526 signatures.

The flags were put up across the town by Stand-Up Basingstoke, whose members have organised anti-immigration protests, although the group says it is not associated with Operation Raise the Colours.