'Tatty' flags on lampposts need to come down - MP

A Lancashire MP is calling for "tatty" and "decrepit" looking flags on lampposts to be removed.

Labour's Oliver Ryan, representing Burnley, says he has been contacted by residents complaining the flags look scruffy and has asked the county council to remove them.

They were placed on lampposts over the summer by members of the public across the country, including in Burnley and other parts of Lancashire.

Lancashire County Council has been asked to comment, but last year council leader Stephen Atkinson, of Reform UK, said: "We support the patriotic hanging of the union and St George's cross flags in a safe way, we would only take action to remove something if it posed a danger to road users."

Ryan believes now is the time to remove them: "I've been driving around the constituency, especially over Christmas, but before that as well, and just seeing these flags get more and more decrepit, some of them are in bushes and they just look a tip.

"So I think they need to do their job as a council and take them down now."

He says he is not against flying the nation's flag and flies a union jack outside his office in the town.

Ryan said: If there are any that look fine, then, you know, I've not necessarily a problem with them staying up, but I just think the ones that - and the vast majority I've seen - don't look great, they need to come down."

But, he also says he does not want the council to spend money to put official ones up.

"We've got enough stuff to spend money on like potholes and social care and things that matter."

He added: "I don't want them to see them spending money to put up their own flags, we have flags on public buildings."

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