Glasgow City Council to shake up flag waving policy
It wants to fly something other than the Union Jack during special events
Glasgow council could be set to stop flying the Union flag for the Royal Family’s birthdays – including the birthday of the King – and add dates to display the Cuban, Transgender and Palestine flags among others.
Scottish Greens councillor Dan Hutchison said the current policies are not in line with a “progressive” city and wants the Red Flag for workers to be flown as well as the Ukrainian and German ones.
His motion to be brought to full council next week also calls for the Pakistani flag to be raised as well as the French and Italian.
And he called for the council to scrap its long-standing policy of flying the Union flag on dates such as the birthday of His Majesty the King, as well as the birthdays of Princess Anne and The Queen Consort, and Commonwealth Day.
Councillor’s Hutchison’s motion said: “Council agrees that its current flag protocol does not adequately reflect the progressive and internationally minded city of the modern day.”
It continued: “Council agrees that adopting flags such as the Transgender Flag and the Red Flag signifies support for both Glasgow’s Transgender community and Workers, in a similar vein as the current protocol does with International Women’s Day and International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDHBT) .”
It recommended the changes and said “council also agrees that Glasgow is an international city, with a rich history of migration, and with a vibrant twin city scheme.”
A flag to celebrate Lunar New Year may also be displayed following consultation.
The motion will be presented at a council meeting next week.
The following flag flying dates are to be added if approved by councillors:
1st Monday in May – Mayday – Red Flag
April 25 – Liberation Day – Italian Flag
July 14 – Bastille Day – French Flag
August 14 – Independence Day – Pakistani Flag
August 23 – Independence Day – Ukrainian Flag
October 3 – Reunification Day – German Flag
October 10 – Cuban Independence Day – Cuban Flag
November 20- Trans Remembrance Day – Transgender Flag
November 29 – International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People – Palestine Flag
Councillor Hutchison’s motion also proposes to remove the following dates from the flag flying protocol.
January 9 – Birthday of HRH The Princess of Wales – Union
January 20 – Countess of Wessex – Union
March 10 – Birthday of HRH Earl of Wessex – Union
2nd Monday of March – Commonwealth Day – Commonwealth
June 21 – Birthday of HRH Prince of Wales – Union
July 17 – Birthday of HM The Queen Consort – Union
August 15 – Birthday of HRH Princess Anne – Union
November 14 – Birthday of HM The King – Union
Any changes would need to be approved by a majority of councillors for the proposals to progress.