Reform defends removing council HQ's Ukraine flag

A Reform UK council leader has defended taking down the Ukrainian national flag from its headquarters, stating it is part of a new flag policy.

David Bick, who became leader of Norfolk County Council last week, said it would be "entirely appropriate" for only British national and local flags to be flown above the County Hall building in Norwich.

Rainbow flags, which are being raised at other civic buildings in the county for Pride month in June, will also be banned.

The decision follows other Reform-led authorities, including Suffolk and Essex County Council, also taking down the Ukrainian flag, which has flown from many pubic buildings since Russia's invasion of the country in 2022.

Bick said: "We are proud of our national and local flags, and it is entirely appropriate that these are the only flags flown above Norfolk County Hall.

"This policy is about ensuring that our principal civic building represents all Norfolk residents equally.

"The lowering of the Ukraine flag should not be interpreted as any reduction in support for the Ukrainian people.

"Norfolk has welcomed and supported those displaced by the war, and this support remains unchanged."

The Ukrainian flag has been replaced with the Norfolk County Council flag, which is currently being flown on top of the building in Martineau Lane, along with the Union flag, the St George flag and the Norfolk county flag.

Since the start of the war, around 234,000 people from Ukraine have come to the UK, with 950 households taking in more than 2,000 guests in Norfolk.

Prior to the flag being removed, the Ukrainian ambassador to the UK, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, wrote to Bick and thanked Norfolk County Council for its support of the Ukrainian people. He also urged for continued cooperation and support of the country.

In a letter shared with the BBC by the council, he said: "During these dark and challenging times for my country, this support means a great deal to us."

Bick responded by informing Zaluzhnyi about the council's intention to remove the Ukrainian flag this week.

Kay Mason Billig, Tory leader at County Hall and the former council leader, criticised the move.

She said: "It is disrespectful to the people of Ukraine.

"We decided to show solidarity with them, and we have taken in quite a lot of refugees. We are trying to show them that we support them. To take the Ukrainian flag down is a despicable act.

"If Reform wants to side with Putin, then that sends a signal to all of Norfolk."

She added: "It costs nothing to fly the flag of Ukraine. It is a slap in the face for Ukrainians. The Reform administration needs to be concerned on the important things in Norfolk. "

The types of flags flown from civic buildings have become the focus of increasing debate, with some groups believing it is inappropriate to fly flags that are not official national, county or civic flags. Others believed it showed support to diffrent causes.

The council said the new flag policy applies equally to all non-official flags and is "not directed towards any particular country, cause, organisation or community".

The only flags to be flown on special occasions will be royal flags and those of the British Armed Forces, the Merchant Navy, and the emergency services, on days of special commemorative significance, such as Remembrance Day, the council added.

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