Labour MP Demands Union Flags Are Taken Down as ‘People Feel Uneasy’
A row over Union flags and St George’s flags displayed on lampposts in Leicestershire has developed into a wider political argument about patriotism, public space and whether national symbols can unite communities or make some residents feel excluded.
Labour MP Jeevun Sandher, who represents Loughborough, has urged Leicestershire County Council to remove flags attached to street furniture, arguing that some displays have become damaged and that constituents have told him they feel uncomfortable about their presence.
The issue has attracted particular attention because Leicestershire County Council is controlled by Reform UK. The dispute has therefore become part of a wider political argument involving Reform, Labour and the growing prominence of national flags in communities across England.
Sandher has stressed that he is not opposed to the flags themselves. Instead, he has argued that the way they are being displayed is the problem.
‘People feel uneasy’
Sandher published a video in which he discussed flags appearing on lampposts and painted on roundabouts.
He said some flags were becoming “tatty”, with cable ties coming loose and the possibility that they could detach and fall into the road. He also said that messages from constituents had made him aware that some people felt uneasy about the displays.
His argument went beyond safety.
Sandher said he understood that many people regarded the flags as expressions of national pride. He said he was proud of Britain and proud of the country’s flag, but added that he also understood why some residents could interpret large numbers of flags as suggesting that certain people belonged while others did not.
That distinction became central to the political controversy.
For supporters of the flag displays, the Union flag and St George’s Cross represent national identity, history and pride.
For critics, the context and method of displaying them can create a different impression, particularly in areas where debates over immigration and national identity have become politically sensitive.
The council’s position
Leicestershire County Council has previously drawn a distinction between flying flags and attaching them to public infrastructure.
In September 2025, the council said that attaching anything to a street light without permission was an offence. However, it also said highways teams would intervene when flags attached to lampposts or other street furniture created a serious safety risk.
The authority separately warned people not to paint or graffiti mini-roundabouts and pedestrian crossings, which it described as illegal.
The council’s then leader, Dan Harrison, said he welcomed people showing patriotism and described national flags as symbols that could bring communities together.
That position placed the council at odds with Sandher over the practical question of what should happen to the flags.
Sandher argued that the council should take action where flags had been attached improperly or had deteriorated.
The council’s approach was more conditional: flags were not automatically removed simply because they had been attached to lampposts, but safety concerns could lead to intervention.
Operation Raise the Colours
The controversy is part of a much larger movement that spread across parts of England during 2025.
Known online as “Operation Raise the Colours”, the campaign encouraged people to display Union flags and St George’s flags in public spaces.
Supporters said the movement was motivated by patriotism and national pride.
The rapid appearance of flags on streets, bridges, roundabouts and lampposts nevertheless generated debate about whether public displays were simply expressions of national identity or whether, in some circumstances, they carried a political message.
BBC reporting on the controversy noted that tensions over immigration were part of the wider context and that the St George’s Cross had sometimes been used by far-right groups. That does not mean that people displaying the flag share those political views; supporters of the displays have repeatedly described them as expressions of patriotism.
That distinction is important because a national symbol can have different meanings for different people.
A resident may see a Union flag as a symbol of Britain.
Another resident may see the same display as a political statement.
The argument in Leicestershire has largely centred on that difference in perception.
Sandher’s personal connection to the flag
Sandher’s comments were particularly notable because he has previously spoken positively about Britain’s national symbols.
According to local reporting, he has said that he loves the flags and recognises their importance as representations of the United Kingdom’s nations.
His wife has also worn the flag on her uniform during her service in the British Army, according to Sandher.
His argument is therefore not that national flags should disappear from public life.
Instead, he has advocated displaying them in ways that he believes are appropriate and inclusive.
He has suggested that flags should be flown proudly from proper flagpoles rather than being attached to every lamppost.
That position allows him to distinguish between patriotism and the physical manner in which flags are being displayed.
A question of belonging
At the heart of the dispute is a much broader question: what should national symbols communicate?
Sandher has argued that Britain should be a country where people feel that they belong regardless of their background.
He has said that displays which make some residents feel excluded undermine the idea of national unity.
His critics take a different view.
Some residents interviewed about the issue said they liked seeing the flags because they regarded them as part of British identity.
One resident quoted by Charnwood News said the flags were a welcome sight and represented an aspect of British identity that he believed had been lost in recent years.
This highlights an important feature of the controversy.
There is no single response to the flags.
Some people see them as reassuring.
Others see them as unnecessary or uncomfortable.
Still others support the symbolism but object to flags being attached to public infrastructure without permission.
Safety is a separate issue
The condition of the flags has provided a more straightforward argument for removal.
A damaged flag hanging loosely from a lamppost can create a potential safety problem regardless of its political or cultural meaning.
The county council has therefore emphasised the practical issue of safety.
Its September statement said flags were welcome when displayed safely but warned against attaching items to street furniture without permission. The council also highlighted the cost and danger associated with painting public roads.
This creates an area of potential agreement between the different sides.
Even supporters of the displays can accept that damaged or dangerous flags should be dealt with.
The disagreement is more pronounced over whether the flags should remain when they are intact and safely positioned.
Reform’s involvement
The Reform connection has added another dimension.
Reform UK won control of Leicestershire County Council in the 2025 local elections, making the authority part of the party’s growing local-government presence.
The council’s leadership has expressed support for patriotic displays while also acknowledging that safety regulations have to be followed.
This has allowed Labour politicians such as Sandher to challenge the council over the way it has handled the issue.
The dispute therefore reflects a wider political divide.
Reform has increasingly emphasised national identity and patriotism in its political messaging.
Labour has also sought to present itself as patriotic while placing greater emphasis on ensuring that national symbols are not used in ways that make parts of the population feel excluded.
The disagreement is therefore not simply about whether Britain should be proud of its national symbols.
Both sides can claim that they support national pride.
The disagreement concerns how that pride should be expressed.
A debate spreading beyond Leicestershire
The controversy is not limited to one county.
National flags have appeared in many parts of England, with displays prompting discussions among councils, residents and politicians.
Some local authorities have warned residents about attaching flags to public infrastructure.
Others have welcomed displays provided that safety and legal requirements are respected.
The debate has also appeared on social media, where arguments over the meaning of the flags have sometimes become highly polarised.
That has made local disagreements more visible nationally.
An ordinary question about whether a flag should remain on a lamppost can quickly become part of a much broader argument about immigration, identity and political affiliation.
Patriotism and political identity
The controversy also reflects a changing political environment in Britain.
National identity has become increasingly prominent in political debate.
Questions about immigration, borders, Brexit and Britain’s relationship with other countries have contributed to renewed attention to symbols such as the Union flag and St George’s Cross.
For some people, displaying those symbols is entirely separate from party politics.
For others, the increased concentration of flags in particular communities can appear connected to political movements.
The challenge for politicians is to recognise both perspectives without automatically assigning political motives to everyone who displays a flag.
A person can display a Union flag because they are proud of Britain.
Another person can feel uncomfortable because they associate a particular display with a political message.
Both reactions can exist simultaneously.
The dispute over public space
There is also a practical democratic question concerning public property.
Lampposts, traffic signs and other street furniture are maintained for public purposes.
Councils therefore have responsibilities relating to safety, access and maintenance.
The question is not necessarily whether flags are patriotic or unpatriotic, but whether people should be allowed to attach objects to public infrastructure without permission.
Leicestershire County Council’s own guidance makes that distinction clear. The authority said attaching items to street lights without permission was an offence while indicating that its highways teams would concentrate on situations involving serious safety risks.
That provides a legal and administrative framework separate from the political argument.
What Sandher is actually calling for
Despite the headline surrounding the controversy, Sandher’s position is more specific than a demand to remove national flags from Britain.
He has argued that flags should be displayed properly rather than being tied to lampposts throughout communities.
He has also said that he wants national symbols to unite rather than divide.
In his view, the method and context of displaying the flags matter.
That is different from arguing that Britain should abandon the Union flag or St George’s Cross.
Indeed, Sandher has repeatedly stated that he is proud of the country’s symbols.
The political disagreement therefore centres on interpretation and public display rather than the existence of the flags themselves.
A continuing argument
The Leicestershire dispute is unlikely to disappear quickly because it touches on several issues that have become increasingly important in British politics: patriotism, immigration, national identity, public space and community relations.
For Reform supporters and many residents, the flags represent pride in Britain and should not automatically be interpreted as hostile to anyone else.
For Sandher and residents who share his concerns, the same displays can sometimes create an unwelcome atmosphere, particularly when flags are attached to every lamppost or become damaged and neglected.
The council’s position adds another dimension by focusing on safety and the legal rules governing street furniture.
Ultimately, the argument illustrates how a simple piece of fabric can become politically significant.
A Union flag can be a symbol of national pride, historical identity or community celebration. In another context, the same display may be interpreted as carrying a political message.
The challenge for local authorities is therefore practical as well as political: allowing legitimate expressions of national identity while ensuring that public infrastructure is used safely and lawfully.
For Sandher, the central message is that national symbols should bring people together.
For supporters of the displays, removing them can appear to send the opposite message.
And for the council, the immediate question remains whether flags attached to public infrastructure are safe, lawful and appropriately maintained.
That is why the argument in Leicestershire has become much bigger than a row over lampposts. It has become a debate about what Britain’s national symbols mean, who feels represented by them, and how patriotism should be expressed in modern Britain.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (Image: Getty)
Sir Keir Starmer ‘s popularity has dropped to a new low ahead of his Labour conference speech, new polling shows. The survey by More in Common found his net approval rating has reached minus 48.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch is on minus 21, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is on minus nine and Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has a score of minus four. The poll of more than 2,000 people was carried out from September 19-22.
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It comes ahead of the Prime Minister’s keynote speech to Labour’s gathering in Liverpool this afternoon.
Sir Keir is expected to use the address to ramp up his attacks on Reform UK.
The insurgent party, which is consistently leading national opinion polls, is now regarded by Labour as the primary threat to its re-election prospects.
Sir Keir will warn that Britain faces a “defining choice” between “decency” and “division”.
He will say: “We can all see our country faces a choice, a defining choice. Britain stands at a fork in the road.
“We can choose decency. Or we can choose division. Renewal or decline.
“A country, proud of its values, in control of its future, or one that succumbs, against the grain of our history, to the politics of grievance.”
Sir Keir also branded Reform UK’s immigration policy to scrap indefinite leave to remain as “racist” over the weekend.
Keir Starmer Hit by Polling Blow Hours Before Labour Conference Speech
Keir Starmer has been hit by a fresh polling setback as Labour headed into its annual conference, with a new survey showing Reform UK moving ahead of the governing party in voting intention.
The poll arrived at a politically significant moment, with Labour gathered in Liverpool for its annual conference and Starmer preparing to address party members and the wider public. The figures provided another indication of the difficult political environment facing Labour after its return to government.
A YouGov poll conducted on September 27 and 28 put Reform UK on 25%, up four points, while Labour stood on 24%. The Conservatives were on 19%, down two points. The Greens recorded 8%.
The result represented a one-point lead for Reform in that particular survey. It also contrasted with other recent polling, underlining the importance of looking at several surveys rather than treating a single poll as a definitive measure of public opinion.
A difficult moment for Labour
The timing of the YouGov survey made it particularly significant.
The poll was conducted as Labour’s conference was getting under way, with the party attempting to use the gathering to present its priorities and demonstrate a clear political direction.
However, the latest figures suggested that Reform remained a substantial competitor.
The survey also came after Labour had recently experienced a period in which its position in some polling had improved. That meant the new figures provided a reminder that changes in voting intention can occur quickly and that individual polls can produce different pictures of the political landscape.
The Independent described the result as a setback for Labour on the eve of Andy Burnham’s conference speech. It also reported that Labour chair Bridget Phillipson sought to play down the significance of the individual poll, arguing that polling changes over time.
Reform’s rise in the survey
Reform’s increase to 25% represented the largest movement among the main parties in the YouGov survey.
Nigel Farage’s party has spent recent years attempting to establish itself as a permanent force in British politics rather than simply a protest movement.
Its campaign has concentrated on issues including immigration, taxation, national sovereignty and dissatisfaction with the established parties.
The latest poll gave Reform a narrow lead over Labour and a six-point advantage over the Conservatives.
That does not mean Reform has permanently overtaken Labour. Opinion polling measures voting intentions at a particular point in time, and different pollsters can produce different results.
Indeed, another major poll conducted earlier in September showed a different picture.
Ipsos’s survey of 1,031 British adults, conducted between September 10 and 15, put Labour on 27% and Reform on 23%, giving Labour a four-point lead. The Conservatives were on 21%.
The difference between the two surveys demonstrates why individual results need to be viewed within the wider polling picture.
Labour’s position remains fluid
The latest YouGov result nevertheless presents a challenge for Labour because it came during a major opportunity for the party to communicate directly with voters.
Party conferences traditionally allow governing parties to set out their priorities without the same constraints as an ordinary parliamentary week.
The leadership can announce policies, emphasise achievements and attempt to establish the themes it wants to dominate political debate.
A poll showing Reform narrowly ahead therefore provides an unwelcome backdrop.
It also highlights the difficulty of maintaining support among voters who may have different priorities.
Labour has traditionally relied on a broad coalition of working-class voters, public-sector workers, younger voters and people in urban areas. Reform has attempted to attract some voters who previously supported Labour as well as significant numbers of former Conservative voters.
The result is a more fragmented electorate.
The Conservative Party remains significant
The Conservatives’ position in the YouGov survey is also important.
At 19%, the party remained behind both Reform and Labour, although its support was still substantial.
The Conservative Party continues to face the challenge of defining its political identity after the 2024 general election while competing with Reform for voters on the political right.
Kemi Badenoch’s leadership has therefore involved balancing two objectives: rebuilding the Conservatives as a distinct political force while responding to Reform’s growing presence.
The latest figures show that Reform’s rise is not simply a Labour problem.
The Conservatives are also involved in the same contest for voters who want a change from the governing party.
That three-way competition has made British voting intentions considerably less predictable than the traditional Labour-Conservative contest.
Other parties also matter
The YouGov survey also placed the Greens on 8%.
Although that was lower than the figures recorded by some other polls, the Greens remain relevant because they compete for some voters who might otherwise support Labour.
The Liberal Democrats were also an important part of the wider political picture, although their support was below the three leading parties in this particular survey.
This fragmentation means that Labour’s political challenge cannot be reduced to simply stopping Reform.
The party has to maintain support across different parts of its electoral coalition while competing with several parties simultaneously.
The wider polling picture
The YouGov result looks less dramatic when compared with the broader polling trend.
Ipsos’s September survey showed Labour four points ahead of Reform, while the PollCheck tracker’s seven-poll average, based on major UK pollsters, had Labour ahead of Reform by three points as of September 19.
That broader evidence suggests that the parties were relatively close in national voting intention, even though individual surveys sometimes produced different leaders.
This is an important distinction.
A one-point Reform lead in one YouGov survey does not establish a long-term shift in public opinion.
At the same time, it cannot simply be ignored. It demonstrates that Reform is capable of recording support at a level that places it directly alongside the two established major parties.
For Labour strategists, that means the party must continue to pay attention to voters who may be considering alternatives.
The importance of leadership
Polling about party support is only one part of the political picture.
Ipsos also measured attitudes towards political leaders in September. Its survey found that Andy Burnham was preferred as prime minister by 35% of respondents, compared with 15% for Kemi Badenoch and 14% for Nigel Farage.
The same Ipsos research found that 31% were satisfied with Burnham’s performance as prime minister, while 44% were dissatisfied.
This highlights the difference between voting intention and leader ratings.
A party can perform differently from the popularity of its leader, and a leader’s personal rating does not automatically translate into a particular level of party support.
For Labour, however, the distinction is especially relevant during a conference, when the party leadership has an opportunity to communicate its programme directly to voters.
The significance of the conference speech
The latest polling placed additional attention on Burnham’s conference address.
His speech was expected to focus on the direction of the Labour government and its priorities for the remainder of the parliamentary term.
The Institute for Government identified the conference as an important opportunity for Burnham to establish priorities and build support within his own party for difficult policy decisions.
The conference has also featured debates over economic growth, welfare, defence, social care and Britain’s relationship with Europe.
Those subjects carry significant political risks because different groups of Labour supporters hold different views about how the government should approach them.
Reform’s response
Reform politicians quickly highlighted the YouGov result.
Reform deputy leader Richard Tice used the figures to criticise the government’s position, while Reform chair Lee Anderson also drew attention to the party’s rise in the survey.
Such reactions are unsurprising during a period of close competition.
For Reform, a poll placing the party ahead of Labour provides an opportunity to argue that it has become a central part of Britain’s political landscape.
For Labour, the response is more complicated.
The party can point to other polls showing it ahead and argue that a single survey should not determine the political narrative.
Both points are supported by the wider polling evidence.
What the figures actually show
The most important conclusion from the latest polling is not that one party has permanently replaced another.
Instead, the figures demonstrate how closely contested national voting intentions have become.
The YouGov survey recorded Reform on 25%, Labour on 24% and the Conservatives on 19%. Ipsos, conducted earlier in the month, recorded Labour on 27%, Reform on 23% and the Conservatives on 21%.
The difference illustrates both the competitiveness of the political environment and the uncertainty surrounding individual polling snapshots.
For Labour, the immediate challenge is to use its conference to explain what it intends to achieve and why voters should support its programme.
For Reform, the challenge is to convert its growing political profile into sustained support across the country.
For the Conservatives, the task remains rebuilding while competing with Reform for voters who once formed part of the party’s traditional coalition.
The latest YouGov poll therefore provides a striking backdrop to the Labour conference.
It gives Reform a narrow lead in one national survey at a moment when Labour is seeking to project confidence and direction.
But the broader evidence remains more mixed. Other recent polling has Labour ahead, and polling averages have also shown the two parties relatively close.
The figures should therefore be understood as a snapshot of public opinion rather than a forecast of an eventual election result.
What they do demonstrate is that Britain’s political competition remains highly fluid, with Labour, Reform and the Conservatives all facing different challenges as they seek to build durable support.
Against that backdrop, the conference speech provides Labour’s leadership with an opportunity to set out its priorities — while the latest polling ensures that every policy announcement will be judged against an increasingly competitive political landscape.
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