Council dishonours Bexley residents and national flag
This week Bexley Tories issued a press statement, in the News Shopper, dated June 24, stating it supported flags going up for the World Cup, but it has repeatedly refused to remove tatty and torn flags that dishonour our borough. It seems it was not until England won their first match that Bexley Tories decided to get behind the team. Residents voiced their opposition to the flags that were put up last autumn as divisive and driven by hate, now they are tatty and torn and not ones of which anyone can be proud. Bexley Labour group continue to press the ruling Conservative council to remove these flags across the borough immediately, publicly condemn this behaviour and state that the council will prosecute those vandalising council property.
Even the council’s own flag on East Wickham open space, was hastily replaced when the Chief Executive realised how tatty it had become. This latest move came after Labour Group councillors wrote to the Leader before the start of the World Cup asking for action. Could it be that Bexley Tories do not want to spend the money on dealing with the flag situation and have dressed it up as patriotism.
Leader of Bexley Labour Group Cllr Stefano Borella, said “ We are proud of our national flag and encourage residents to raise national flags to support the England football team or any football team, when used appropriately, but these torn and tatty illegally placed flags are not patriotic and do not engender a spirit of national pride. They do not serve Bexley residents, and the Leader of the council should be ashamed of backing them”
