Scotland’s biggest council is to consider not flying the Union Flag on seven royal occasions – including the King’s birthday.
SNP-run Glasgow City Council will debate a change in policy that would mean the national flag of the United Kingdom would only be flown above the City Chambers on one day of the year, Remembrance Sunday.
Green councillors have proposed the changes, and want to add nine dates where other flags will be flown instead, including those of Cuba, Palestine and the transgender movement.
The Saltire would be flown on all other days, as is already the case under the current policy.
SNP-run Glasgow City Council will debate a change in policy that would mean the national flag of the United Kingdom would only be flown above the City Chambers (pictured in the background) on one day of the year
SNP-run Glasgow City Council will debate a change in policy that would mean the national flag of the United Kingdom would only be flown above the City Chambers on one day of the year, Remembrance Sunday
Thomas Kerr (pictured), leader of the city council’s Conservative group, said ‘This sums up the Greens’ warped priorities
The Palestine flag will be raised on the international day of solidarity with the Palestinian people, November 29
The proposals are set out in a motion set to be debated at next Thursday’s meeting of the full council.
Members of the ruling SNP administration on the council, which is propped up by the ten Green councillors, will have to decide whether to support the controversial proposal, which could infuriate pro-UK voters.
Thomas Kerr, leader of the city council’s Conservative group, said yesterday: ‘This sums up the Greens’ warped priorities and is yet another classic example of them indulging in petty, student politics.
‘Glaswegians have regularly shown their affection for the Royal Family – not least when Her Majesty the Queen passed away – and will give this ignorant stunt short shrift.
‘While their republican views are well known, it says it all when the Greens would prefer to waste time debating the council’s flag policy rather than talking about the city’s housing emergency, how businesses are on their knees or how 450 teaching posts could be lost from our schools.’
The transgender flag will be flown on trans remembrance day, November 20
The German flag will be flown on its reunification day, October 3
The Ukraine flag will be flown on its independence day, August 23
The Italian flag will be flown on Liberation Day, April 25
The French flag will be flown on Bastille Day, July 14
The Pakistan flag will be flown on its independence day, August 14
The Cuban flag will be flown on its independence day, October 10
The motion, in the name of Green councillor Dan Hutchison, claims the current flag protocol ‘does not adequately reflect the progressive and internationally-minded city of the modern day’.
Under the proposals the Union Flag would no longer be flown for the birthdays of the Princess of Wales (January 9), the Countess of Wessex (January 20), the Earl of Wessex (March 10), the Prince of Wales (June 21), Queen Camilla (July 17), Princess Anne (August 15) or King Charles (November 14).
But the Red flag would be flown on May Day (May 1), the Italian flag on Liberation Day (April 25), the French flag on Bastille Day (July 14), the Pakistan flag on its independence day (August 14), the Ukraine flag on its independence day (August 23), the German flag on reunification day (October 3), the Cuban flag on its independence day (October 10), the transgender flag on trans remembrance day (November 20), and the Palestine flag for the international day of solidarity with the Palestinian people (November 29).