It’s starting to feel like the only flag you can’t fly in England is the England flag.
Wave the Pride flag out of your living room window and your neighbours will gush. In fact, flying the Pride flag is practically mandatory in June, Pride month. Every town hall, school, bank and social-media site is draped in the rainbow colours.
Such is the omnipresence of the Pride flag that it is actual headline news when someone refuses to wave it. For the second year running, Ockbrook and Borrowash Parish Council in Derbyshire has decided not to fly the Pride colours. The BBC was on this bizarre case pronto. ‘Anger as Pride month flag snubbed by Derbyshire council again’, a headline bellowed.
The English flag is a different matter entirely. Hang the St George’s Cross from one of your windows and Emily Thornberry will write a sneering tweet.
Will a town hall bureaucrat will show up at pubs with a handy leaflet explaining to fans the decibels at which they are permitted to express their approval?
‘How toxic is the England flag today?’, the Guardian will ask, complete with a photo of some council estate dotted with St George’s crosses.
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