Reform UK Seeks Pride Flag Ban in Doncaster, Clashes with Warwickshire Council Over Unauthorized Flag Display

Reform UK has sparked disputes in multiple local councils over the flying of Pride flags, advocating for policies that restrict flags displayed on council properties to the Union Flag and certain official flags. In Doncaster, Reform UK has proposed a motion urging Mayor Ros Jones to ban flags other than the Union Flag, the Royal Standard, and national flags of visiting dignitaries, which would prohibit local symbols like the Yorkshire Rose and Armed Forces flags. Meanwhile, in Warwickshire County Council, a conflict arose when the Progress Pride flag was flown without the required advertising consent, leading Reform UK's interim leader George Finch to request its removal. Council chief executive Monica Fogarty refused to take down the flag, citing a lack of formal policy and maintaining the tradition of flying the flag during Pride month, which Reform UK criticized as a "coup d'etat." The party's leader Nigel Farage publicly condemned Fogarty, accusing her of acting above the people's will, while local Green Party leadership defended the chief executive's decision as appropriate and democratic. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between Reform UK’s push for flag restrictions and local authorities’ practices regarding inclusivity and representation.