A Labour politician has demanded that Union and St George’s flags in her constituency are taken down
Flags were raised on lamp posts across the country as part of Operation Raise the Colours (Image: GETTY)
A Labour minister has called for Union and St George’s flags in her constituency to be taken down. Sarah Sackman said for many of her Finchley and Golders Green constituents, the flags are “a source of division and intimidation”.
St George’s Crosses and Union banners were raised on lamp posts across the country after the Operation Raise the Colours social media campaign last year. Writing for the Barnet Post, Ms Sackman said: “Now that the final whistle has blown on the 2026 World Cup, I’m calling full time on the flags.
Sarah Sackman said the flags are ‘a source of division and intimidation’ for some constituents (Image: Getty)
“Those who live and spend time in Temple Fortune and Golders Green will know that St George’s and Union Jacks were hoisted on public lamp posts, without permission, long before the World Cup. It is now time for them to come down.
“Since September, huge numbers of flags have been put up on our public property in Barnet. For many members of our community, these flags do not feel like a symbol of national pride, they are a source of division and intimidation.
“I have heard from many residents concerned about the presence of these flags. Messages I’ve received describe them as unsettling, intimidating and othering. That is not something any of us can ignore. In a community as diverse and inclusive as ours no member of this community should be made to feel unwelcome.”
Ms Sackman called on Barnet Council to “hand our streets back to the tolerant and inclusive majority of the community by removing the flags”.
But residents Jack and Deborah Miller, who said they had hung flags in Barnet, hit back at Ms Sackman.
Mrs Miller said: “I think that comment itself is actually causing division, and it’s divisive. We just want to live in peace. We just want to be. We’re proud Jews. What’s wrong with the flag?”
Mr Miller added: “In synagogues, on the Saturday morning service up and down the country, we have a special prayer for the country where we pray for the Royal Family, the King, the Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales and the military.
“And we’re proud to be part of this country. And we’re proud of the morals this nation has always had.”
