Mixed views on city's 'patriotic' flag protocol

Bradford has become the fourth Reform UK-led council in West Yorkshire to adopt a more restrictive flag-flying policy.

Only a limited number of flags, including the Union and St George's flags, as well as those of local sports teams, will be flown from flagpoles in Centenary Square.

Supporters say the policy promotes patriotism, unity and a shared civic identity, while critics, both inside and outside the council chamber, fear it could undermine freedom of expression and community cohesion.

When we visited the city centre to gauge public opinion, two Union flags were already flying above City Hall.

Just below them, in front of the building, a red, yellow and green Black History Month flag fluttered in Centenary Square.

It's an annual display of solidarity, but permission for it will no longer be automatically assumed under the council's newly approved protocol.

Among shoppers and office workers walking by, there was universal support for flying the Union flag itself.

However Razina Bostan, who said she had already been discussing the issue with a friend, questioned the council's priorities.

"They've obviously got nothing better to do with their time," she said.

She urged councillors to concentrate on public services and "bread and butter issues", and questioned whether allowing politicians to approve exceptional flag requests could lead to decisions being made along purely party political lines.

"Why don't they want Black History Month to be advertised? What's wrong with that?" she asked.

Stephen Illand, 69, took a break from reading his newspaper to chat.

"I think it's wrong. I think they should still be flying the Pride flag," he said.

He spoke warmly about his gay cousin and his husband, explaining his longstanding support for LGBTQ+ rights.

For him, the changes represented something wider about the direction of local politics.

"It's like they're against everything that I'm for," he said.

But not everyone shared those concerns.

Two women visiting Bradford from Hull, who declined to be named, were broadly sympathetic to prioritising national flags.

One suggested doing so, and restricting other symbols, could avoid arguments and people taking offence.

Outside a city-centre pub, a man expressed further support for national flags taking precedence on civic buildings.

More broadly, he argued that people visiting other countries would expect to see those nations proudly displaying their own flags, and stressed Britain should not be any different.

Elaine, a Bradford resident who gave only her first name, welcomed seeing the Union flag above City Hall, but was mindful of the city's diversity.

"It's quite nice to see the flag flying, but there's so many other cultures and everything around here, isn't there?"

Priscilla, who also only shared her first name, accepted the changed policy would be welcomed by many, but she also believed recognition of different communities mattered too.

She said Black History Month, for example, was an important recognition of "what my ancestors fought for".

She stressed that seeing multiple flags displayed at significant moments did not offend her.

"It's just a flag," she reflected.

The new policy, approved by Bradford Council's Reform-led executive last week, restricts the flags routinely flown from City Hall and the four flagpoles in Centenary Square.

The Union and St George's flags are the standard flags atop City Hall, while a wider but limited list can be flown in the square, including those marking national days, remembrance, the armed forces and sporting achievements.

Pride and Black History Month flags are no longer routinely included.

Requests for other flags can still be considered by the council leader or portfolio holder, following consultation with political group leaders.

The policy originated in a Conservative motion amended by Reform UK and passed by the full council in July.

At last week's meeting, Reform executive member Ian Eglin said it would promote patriotism and a common civic identity, and stressed that: "Significantly, we have excluded flags of groups that want to promote their own identity or interest."

However speaking outside of the meeting, council leader Stephen Place said changing the flag protocol had not actually been a "headline" priority for his administration.

"Does it really affect people's quality of life in Bradford, a flag? I don't think it does," he said.

Conservative councillor Paul Golding (Worth Valley) also stressed the distinction between flags flown on civic buildings and those people are free to display themselves.

He said the new protocol was the least divisive, "especially at the civic [level]... because we are representing the communities that we serve".

But Labour group leader Imran Khan, whose party previously controlled the council, claimed the current leadership's changing flag policy "was never about the Union flag" and suggested the motives for it were part of "a different agenda entirely".

During Labour's administration, the Palestinian flag was raised in September 2025 following the UK's recognition of Palestinian statehood.

The council had also received a petition requesting it be flown on the UN's International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

The new rules make such displays subject to an exceptional approval process rather than routine inclusion.

"People in Bradford generally are very patriotic and love the Union flag," Khan said, but also stressed: "Bradford is a very diverse place. The flag protocols that we had previously were about recognising that."

Meanwhile Your Bradford Independent Group deputy leader Ishtiaq Ahmed argued that the new flag restrictions went to the heart of how grassroots politics and engagement functioned in the city.

"Banning community symbols is an attack on democracy and freedom of speech," he said.

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