Press ReleaseThe People's No Campaign
23rd September 2005
First the Ashes...now another Victory for England
(Campaigners force Council to remove EU Flag)
Wear Valley District Council has been long flying the EU flag outside its council offices. Its Leader, Olive Brown is a representative on the EU's Committee of the Regions. Neil Herron and Bishop Auckland and Wear Valley District Council resident resident, Jim Tague, decided action needed to be taken against this blatant attempt to promote the EU.
The Regulations for the flying of flags is controlled by the Department of Culture Media and Sport. The flying of flags other than the Union flag is regulated by the Town and Country Planning Act 1992 Regulations on the display of Advertisements.
As the European Union is a political project a Local Authority will also be in contravention of Section 19 of the Local Authority Guidelines on Publicity...ie. you cannot use public money to attempt to persuade the public to hold a particular view on a political matter.
So, any Local Authority flying an EU flag must be asked politiely to remove it as they will not have planning permission and are in breach of the Section 19 guidelines.
The request for an explanation as to whether WVDC had planning permission to fly the EU flag was made by Jim a couple of weeks ago and yesterday WVDC confirmed that they had no authority or permission to fly the flag.
This morning the Cross of St. George had been hoist on the flagpole in place of the EU flag.
Neil Herron states: "It is not acceptable for any Local Authority to be promoting the EU... a corrupt, undemocratic, unaccountable, profligate bureaucracy. The EU is a political project and cannot be promoted using taxpayers money. Flying a flag amounts to blatant propaganda. Within twelve months we will ensure that no EU flag will be flying from any public building in this country.Well done to Jim Tague for bringing the matter to a speedy conclusion."
We now expect every other Council across the country to start obeying the law and remove any EU flags from public buildings.
ENDS
Contact:
Neil Herron
Office: 0191 565 7143
Mobile: 07776 202045
http://www.neilherron.blogspot.com/
http://www.thepeoplesnocampaign.co.uk/
24 comments:
Congratulations!
Peter
Another victory.. well done Niel.
Now then... how do we get EU promotional literature OUT of libraries and public buildings?
Is it possible?
JO
Well done Niel
Another blow against the traitorous scum that are trying to destroy this once great country of ours
Mr E Lee
We need to expand the 'Section 19' argument...attempting to persuade the public to hold a particular view on a political matter. Displaying 'information'is one thing...propaganda is another. This line will grow once all the flags are removed.
We must then insist wherever we see 'Part Financed by the EU' we must demand for it to be qualified with 'also part funded by the British taxpayer.'
Most excellent work Neil!
It is high time society realised that once a law is passed, then it applies equally to the state as to the people - and can be used in opposition to propaganda such as this.
Whenever 'literature' is displayed lauding the merits of the EU, should there not be another piece exposing it's flaws? We are a democratic people, after all - should we not be allowed to choose? I would wish to read both, before making up my mind.
Hatt
For the removal of any doubt, the English flag takes precedence over the EU flag. See this presentation to the 2002 AGM of the National Association of Civic Officers on "Flag Protocol in the United Kingdom":
http://www.leicester.gov.uk/naco/NACO%20Flag%20Protocol.pdf
Denis Cooper
Superb! What can I say!? Fantastic!
As a Bishop Auckland resident I would like you all to contact me and make friends (and influence people). You bloody marvellous people!
Congratulations & very well done!
However, does this not call into question the practice of the "EU flag" on number plates? Why should English motorists be required to display a political emblem on their motor vehicles?
I've emailed Telford & Wrekin Council and "asked" them to remove their EU flags.
Click here to see the email
Well Done, Neil.
I really hope that this is the start of something big.
Capital!! Another blow struck for England, very well done indeed, keep up the good work!
for years the euro stasi have pushed and shoved people around and made life difficult for people flying their own national flag. They have just had it rammed down their throats.Well done Neil and Jim Tague too, I enjoyed his letters to the press in the NO campaign for a North East regional assembly.A great day
Thanks for any kind comments, but full praise must go to Neil, I just fired the shots...took a bit personal flak in return, but stuck to it.
For those who wish to have a pop at your local council for flying the EU flag, then my only advice would be to keep it simple.
In fact, as this starts to roll, I think it might be best to have a standard letter, although I'm fine with the "free market" individual approach...more the merrier.
Best regards
Jim Tague
Andy Mac
I'm also a Bishop Auckland lad, thanks for your support...we are probably going to need it over the coming weeks!!
I see you wish to touch base, if you wish, please feel free, number below:
07704 664223 (no nutters!)
Thanks, Jim
Congratulations and well done on getting the council to take down that rag and replace it with a proper flag.
As we are members of the EU, why shoul dthey not fly the flag? We are members of the United Kingdom and they fly the union jack, so as we are a member of the EU they should be allowed to fly the EU flag.
Shaun,
The UK is a country, and a sovereign state, and the Union flag is a national flag. The EU is just a treaty-based international organisation, not a country, not a sovereign state, and so its flag is not a national flag but simply an advertisement for a highly contentious political project. It is wrong for any resources contributed by taxpayers for the general public good to be diverted to the its promotion, just as it is wrong for the BBC to use money levied from all viewers to promote an unbalanced political agenda.
The English, Scottish and Welsh flags are also "constituent national flags", ranking below the Union flag but well above the EU flag, and therefore they are also exempt from the need for planning permission.
By the command of the Queen since 1998, the EU flag should be flown on government buildings on just one day in the year - May 9th, "Europe Day" - and even then the Union flag must take precedence.
You are making real progress in your country. More needs to be done like this. What Great Britain needs to have is Regular Referendums where the people can initiate laws and revoke those that they dont want. This works in many countries around the world and will work in your country. From what I know about GB, the peoples will does not have a voice in government much of the time. Keep pecking away at the EU!
Keep pecking away at the EU! If your country had regular referendums the peoples will could be made law. This works in many countries around the world. Your representatives are supposed to carry out the peoples wishes. In a Democracy this is what is supposed to happen.. the people rule and not unelected dictators.
rcoones2
At present we in England have an elected Prime Minister (NOT repeat NOT the Head of State, despite the airs & graces that he & his wife put on) who only got 35% of the vote.
A dictator? He'd certainly like to be...
It`s only a little victory,but against a corrupt monster. I used to live in Switzerland and I was impressed by the system of referendums they use to make national decisions I wish we had a similar system.By the way talking about national flags, England, Scotland, Wales what about my part of our country? Northern Ireland, we`ve got one too!
It`s only a little victory,but against a corrupt monster. I used to live in Switzerland and I was impressed by the system of referendums they use to make national decisions I wish we had a similar system.By the way talking about national flags, England, Scotland, Wales what about my part of our country? Northern Ireland, we`ve got one too!
Billy,
I saw Ian Paisley on TV last night, presumably in his office, with the Union flag to his right and the Ulster flag to his left. But the rules are different in NI, and quite strict as I understand. In fact in Scotland and Wales at least some of the rules are now a devolved matter ... while the 1992 planning regulations cited were for England and Wales.
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