A member of the Reform UK cabinet that runs Warwickshire County Council has had his request to fly an ‘I love Jesus’ flag from Shire Hall on Christmas Day turned down.
A storm over which flags should fly on civic buildings
Portfolio holder for fire and rescue and community safety Councillor Dale Bridgewater (Reform UK, Camp Hill), a practicing Christian, revealed he had submitted the idea to council chair Councillor Ed Harris (Reform UK, Baddesley & Dordon), the man who decides what is raised from the three flag poles outside county headquarters.
Cllr Harris was handed the discretion through a new policy enacted in response to a public storm over which flags should be put up outside civic buildings.
Leader Councillor George Finch (Reform UK, Bedworth Central) got into a public dispute with chief executive Monica Fogarty when she refused to take down the Progress Pride flag before the end June – Pride month.
That led to the formalisation of Reform’s policy, which the party had highlighted ahead of the local elections that saw them take power in Warwickshire, that the flags of England, the United Kingdom and Warwickshire would be flown as a matter of course.
So far all flag requests have been rejected
The policy also includes scope for anyone to come forward with requests but all 17 have been rejected to date.
The publications don’t include the arguments put forward for the requests but Cllr Harris’s responses, when issued, are included.
Three were for the flags that are already up anyway with seven others asking for the Pride or Progress Pride flags to be raised at different points – three of the requests were for it to go up during Pride month in June 2026.
The transgender flag was also requested, as were the flags of the United Nations (UN), Palestine, Cuba, one with Ada Lovelace – the world’s first computer programmer – on it and a plain green flag.
A striking request from one councillor, not in compliance
But perhaps the most striking was the one put forward by Cllr Bridgewater who was understanding and unperturbed by a refusal that simply read: “Flag is not in compliance with UK flag flying regulations.”
Cllr Bridgewater told the Local Democracy Reporting Service:
I was on Facebook and saw that Councillor Keith Kondakor (Green, Weddington) had put on for people to request their flags.
I thought ‘why not’. I wanted to know how the process worked and I came up with a flag that I was really passionate about.
As a practicing Christian I wanted to see my lord and saviour’s flag up there on Christmas Day – an ‘I love Jesus’ flag would have been appropriate for the day, or a ‘happy birthday’ flag at least.
It is Jesus’s birthday, he was born in Bethlehem more than 2,000 years ago and it is a good day that we celebrate every year.
We open presents, some go to church like myself, but it was to highlight that the day is sacred to Jesus. We should celebrate it more.
He may try again next year he says
When asked whether he would try again in 2026, Cllr Bridgewater said he would think about it.
I am not disappointed. .
Anyone can request any flag and it is up to the chair. Councillor Harris is a good guy, he had a look at my request and realised why I wanted it up there but it was denied.
I am happy with the response. If it went up, great, but I mainly put it in to see what the process was so if anyone came to me about it in the future, how to request a flag, I could point them in the right direction.
It is a very easy process and if anyone out there has a request, put it in there and you might get your flag up.
Shire Hall did not fly the Pride flag this year
A lot of the ire about the flag policy surrounded not routinely flying the Pride flag throughout June as had been customary before Reform UK took power.
A number of Cllr Harris’s responses are clearly reflective of the requests he received, and although those initial submissions have not been made public he clearly expresses regret over what appear to be stories of people suffering discrimination in relation to their sexuality or how they choose to identify.
In one response, he argues:
Love has a lot to do with civic flags, too. They represent love for a place and loyalty to county, country and kingdom.
In Warwickshire, we try to express our civic nature in many ways – most importantly in our daily gratitude for the contributions of good people of all orientations to the community, their acts of kindness and frequent blessings born of forgiveness.
Let us not misunderstand the purpose of civic flags. We are reminded every time we see them of where we are, who we are and the morals and values that make Warwickshire such a great place to live.
Warwickshire does not need to prove inclusivity?
In others, he insists the flying of a Pride flag has not been rejected outright and that consideration is being given to installing a fourth pole, but also states:
Warwickshire is an inclusive place to live.
We do not need to fly a flag to prove that.
An article by Local Democracy reporter Andy Mitchell
