Mansfield mayor calls Reform's £75,000 flags plan ‘intimidating’ and ‘a reminder of hostility’

Mr Abrahams made the comments after being asked by a councillor whether he would consider contacting Nottinghamshire Council (NCC) leader Coun Mick Barton (Ref) to oppose the Reform-led authority’s proposal to spend £75,000 on flying the Union flag around the county.

But Mansfield Independent councillor Sidney Walker denounced the mayor’s suggestions as ‘ridiculous’ and Reform councillor Martin Wright shook his head in dismay as the comments were made at a Mansfield Council meeting on November 25.

The plan for the flags, announced in October, will see 164 double-sided flags installed on roads as far north as Worksop and as far south as Ruddington.

Mansfield’s council was meeting in full for the first time since the plan was announced.

In a question to the elected Mayor, Labour councillor Sue Swinscoe said: “I am really concerned about the recent rather curious decision made by Nottinghamshire Council to allocate £75,000 of public funds for the purchase of flags.

“My concerns relate to the pressing issues faced by our community.

"Would it not be wiser to redirect these funds towards services that should be provided by the county council, such as adult social care and the long-overdue repairs of our roads?

“Does the mayor share my concerns and will he consider contacting the leader of Nottinghamshire Council to request that the funds be allocated to support the community rather than spent on flags and banners?”

A few ‘here, here' shouts were heard from the council’s strong Labour majority when the query was posed.

In response, the mayor said: “I, and numerous members of the public, have expressed concern about this policy.

"They are arguing that £75,000 on flags – at around £47 per installation – is morally right, when more than 22 per cent of Nottinghamshire children live in low-income households.

“Services are under strain, and demand for food banks, mental health and SEN support is rising.

"The money should go to funding real needs like small breakfast clubs, counselling and emergency accommodation.

“It’s also been raised that there’s been a lack of consultation democratically, and weak accountability.

"There’s been no meaningful consultation about this – whether residents want it.”

Coun Barton, as well as his position as leader of Nottinghamshire Council, is also a Mansfield district councillor for the Maun Valley, Forest Town ward.

But he wasn’t present at the meeting.

The mayor continued: “Other issues have been raised that flags are a source of divison and intimidation.

"For many residents, especially people of colour, the flags feel intimidating rather than patriotic.

“Examples have been given of racist abuse, Nazi salutes and concern that these flags daily will feel like a reminder of hostility rather than belonging.

“I’m especially concerned about the association of the English flag with far-right movements and the ‘Raise The Colours’ campaign.

"We’ve all seen the rallies and it is really quite disturbing, the way it’s causing our society to break up and not come together, which is what these flags are all about.”

Coun Barton previously told Nottinghamshire Live that the flags would be ‘good value for money’ because the supports that they’d be attached to lamposts with had been ‘rigorously tested’, meaning they’d last for ‘many years’.

He added: “Displaying the national flag has the potential to strengthen community spirit and cohesion as well as marking significant national events.”

But Mr Abrahams quoted former England manager Sir Gareth Southgate, whom he described as ‘a leader of our country who we all admire and look up to’, as saying ‘patriotism should emphasise what unites people and not divides them’.

He continued: “Flags are welcomed when bringing people together for national events, which is why we all love seeing them at royal occasions and big sports tournaments – but not as a permanent politicised fixture.”

Mutterings continued from the Reform and independent councillors in the chamber throughout.

The mayor concluded: “The flags are really a promotion of the Reform party.

"It has nothing to do with being patriotic and it’s sending subliminal anti-immigration messages rather than genuinely celebrating our county or country.

“What I think a lot of people are angry about is that this exercise is saying that Reform is more patriotic than everyone else in this country and that is a real disgrace.”

The mayor confirmed he would write to the county council.