Letter to Editor: On flags: Where was this pride in the past?
Your Say / Wed 17th Dec 2025 at 09:31am
Dear Sir
Another day and another letter regarding the flags dotted around the town (reasonably written I hasten to add).
As sure as night follows day cue the comments from people who support keeping the flags up stating that it shows pride in the flag and our country.
I would ask all those people where was this pride in 2012, 2017 and 2022 for the Queens Diamond, Sapphire and Platinum Jubilees?
One comment on the article ironically said that it reminded them of the silver jubilee in 1977.
Where was this pride during the 2012 Olympics when Team GB achieved such great things?
Where was this pride in May 2025 for the 80th anniversary of VE day?
Or is pride and the need to display flags only apparent when Stephen Yaxley Lennon tells you to feel pride and to make immigrants unwelcome?
I’d rather people spent their time and energy asking for politicians to tackle the real issues facing our country being the cost of living, energy bills and people living in poverty- none of which are caused by immigrants.
Yours faithfully
Name withheld
Stuart G
2025-12-17 09:54:23
It's almost like it has nothing to do with pride. Same as it really has nothing to do with violence against women and girls.
jarrett
2025-12-17 10:55:11
Name withheld, give your head a wobble, The current broken asylum system currently costs the UK some £3 billion a year and rising, including nearly £6 million a day on hotel accommodation and that is 2023 figures from the Government.
Dave
2025-12-17 12:02:10
Jarret, give your own a wobble. How does disrespecting our flag fix the asylum system?
Val
2025-12-17 12:42:04
Flying the flags are generally supported by the silent majority and look great. Should be made permanent. More importantly, it represents freedom of expression which can never be negotiable. It is the bedrock of a free society. Keep them flying!
Val
2025-12-17 12:48:58
By the way, all those insisting on removing the flags never address the main issue: who is responsible for the cost of removing them? It is certainly not Harlow council as these flags are on property belonging to Essex County Council. I and many as taxpayers would strongly object to our Council tax being wasted on such a task. If Esssx County Coubcil has no issue with flags on their property maybe all the whinghers should club together and offer to pay for the removal. Some chance!
jarrett
2025-12-17 12:49:45
Dave, i do respect the flag and they should be flown more often although some are looking a bit tatty but i was referring to anon's last paragraph.
Dave
2025-12-17 16:58:01
Val, join the army or pipe down. You're a fake Patriots constantly whining and moaning about people speaking their minds. We have a little something called freespeech in this country. If you don't like it, move.
Dave
2025-12-17 17:00:03
Val, half of them are upside down, tatty and worn. So disrespectful. Our veterans must be so ashamed for our flag to be hijacked by the facism they fought against.
Phil
2025-12-17 19:01:11
@Dave. Stop calling everybody a fascist. You're as tedious as all the other bandwagon jumpers. Give it a rest. I'm one of those veterans and you most certainly do not speak for me! I support the flying of flags. The letter asking where our patriotism was previously, well it was beaten out of us, by successive governments telling us it was racist. Now that we've finally had enough and taken our flag back, you dont like it. Your "offence" is completely self-inflicted and not our problem!
Seamus
2025-12-17 19:49:27
Dave "Val, join the army or pipe down.", bit rude. Imagine if I said to you, if you are so pro migrant why don't you put some up in your abode? Or even, if the flags offend you, then why don't you take them down instead of moaning about them all the time? As to your tail end silly comment of "I’d rather people spent their time and energy asking for politicians to tackle the real issues facing our country being the cost of living, energy bills and people living in poverty- none of which are caused by immigrants." You seem to believe that millions extra coming into the country survive on fresh air and no money, live in free housing and no one has to pay a single penny to support them. Not only lala land thinking but hardly an argument based on reality.
David Forman
2025-12-17 21:29:11
Seamus, a large proportion of the refugees and asylum seekers accommodation has been taken from the foreign aid budget which as the name suggests was previously spent abroad. In 2022 some £3.7bn taken from foreign aid budget, £4.27bn in 2023 and £2.82bn in 2024. In percentage terms the portion of foreign aid budget used varied from 20% to 29%. The money covered refugees and asylum seekers. It doesn't cover all costs, because international aid rules allow only the first 12 months refugees are in UK to be taken from foreign aid budget. See graphs on pages 7 and 10 of https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-9663/CBP-9663.pdf
Val
2025-12-18 09:32:48
Foreign aid used to be much more closely tied to British exports and investments in developing countries. Paying for asylum seekers to come here generates no benefits for the UK. The whole system needs to be revised so that it creates benefits for the UK, e.g. export linked thereby helping our balance of trade and creating jobs. Supporting soft power initiatives like the British Council overseas could also count. We should cut all aid to countries such as China. As to illegal migrants put them in POW type detention camps pending deportation. You see how the crossing will stop.
Mr George
2025-12-18 10:21:01
Val, then campaign your government to allow application to the UK for asylum from overseas if so concerned about the cost. Hijacking a flag in this way just creates division which of course is what was intended.
Chas
2025-12-18 12:26:16
It is illegal under s.224(3)Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and the s.132 Highways act 1980 to display advertising or fly post on or adjacent to the highway without planning permission or consent from the highway authority. A two questions come to mind. First if a planning application was made to Harlow Council to place hundreds of flags across the Town on lamp posts would the Council have granted permission, and if they did, what conditions would they impose on the applicants? The second question is if hundreds of flags were placed without permission of the planning authority (Harlow DC) or the highway authority (Essex CC)on highway structures shouldn’t either the planning authority or the highway authority seek to have the unauthorised signs removed and seek redress for the cost of doing so? Clearly not. I note Hertfordshire County Council policy is that these flags are in contravention of Highway and Planning law and are placed on their equipment without permission. The flags will be removed as part of their regular maintenance program. Essex County Council take note. Why have you not said that these flags on lampposts are illegal and will be removed as part of your regular maintenance programme? This would cost you or taxpayers nothing. The placement of these flags across the country is raising difficult questions for every one and in answering them, if society is not to break down into anarchy we must have regard to the all the laws that govern us and not just pick and choose to ignore the law as it suits us. It seems to me that both Essex County Council and Harlow Council are choosing to ignore some of the laws and are giving tacit consent to breaking the law.
Seamus
2025-12-18 15:28:22
David I would agree with parts but when push comes to shove, it's all tax payers money. Chas, I doubt very much that our nations and countries flags would be described as "advertising or fly posts". You could always launch a legal action to clarify the position if you feel so strongly about it or If the flags bug you that much, you could always take them down yourself? It is not unusual for one county council to act in a different way to another on the same issue.
Chas
2025-12-18 16:02:24
Seamus if I had unlimited money I would launch a legal action. As for taking them down it is for the County Council's responsibility to do that.
Ted
2025-12-18 17:03:47
What about the people who put them up to take them down. NO CHANCE. Perhaps the people who put the flags up would like to join the army in its hour of need.
a concerned citizen
2025-12-18 18:13:14
no val the silent majority do not support these flags at all if anything I'd say that the vast majority of Harlow residents are dead against them because of what they stand for and believe you me it is not "a free society" as you so arrogantly describe it, I've lived In Harlow for all of my 25 years and right now I really do feel like packing my bags and moving to Hertfordshire where there are no flags and no selfish racists who hide behind the mask of "patriotism". by rights these disgraceful things should've been removed as soon as they went up and having heard stories from my friend who is on the Youth council even the kids are getting fed of having to walk down streets that look like something out of Belfast during the worst period of the troubles!, nobody asked for them to be there and nobody really wants them there either so I'd recommend that the county council and that media hungry Dan Swords get their act together and take them down before somebody gets hurt!, it makes me thoroughly ashamed to live in Harlow and I hope you're happy that a young person doesn't feel safe walking down southern way!.
Seamus
2025-12-18 18:53:33
It doesn't matter how many letters to the editor you write, they are not coming down and Essex county council is using the same freedom of choice every other single county council has. Some have said yes they can stay, some have said no they can't. As to a concerned citizens position, I hope you find what you are looking for in Hertfordshire and hope the shame of being an ex Harlow resident can be cured by councilling. I wish you well.
rasp
2025-12-18 19:17:05
A concerned citizen "before somebody gets hurt!" Don't you worry its coming and not because of the flags.
Val
2025-12-18 21:45:17
Concerned citizen. You provide no tangible evidence that the majority of people in Harlow oppose the display of our national flags. What you state is nothing more than conjecture and heresay. That is not proof. Furthermore, how can anybody be offended by the flags of our nation. However, if 'you know' the majority want these flags removed, before you move to Hertfordshire, why not have whip round to pay for the removal. Because I and most residents I know would not wish to see our Council Tax wasted on such nonsense. All the whinghers, put your money where your mouth is!
concerned citizen
2025-12-18 22:50:54
I can provide a lot of tangible evidence val, when the flags first went up in August the leader of the opposition james griggs formed the community colours group and seeing that this has over 318 friends (along with many additional followers) I think that proves that the pro flag lobby are in a small minority. I also spoke to my friend in the youth council a couple of weeks ago who told me that her councillors found the flags very disconcerting and she also told me a story that is actually very sad and gives all the more reason for them to be taken down, for some reason some idiot thought it would be a good idea to put a load of st George's crosses outside the PAH and as a lot of the staff there are from countries such as Africa, India and Eastern Europe this apparently made them feel very upset especially as they have to walk them past them on their way to work!. if this is what they are doing to this community I think something should be done about their removal and I swear to god I'm going to do everything in my power to ensure that happens!.
concerned citizen
2025-12-18 23:01:06
Seamus I don't know who you are but I'm telling you now they will be coming down because they have to, as well as making the town look ridiculously untidy some have also become entangled in trees and bearing in mind that they are made cheap nylon this is exactly the sort of material that birds and other mammals can become trapped in, weather I need counselling or not is none of your concern and judging by some of your previous comments in support of this movement I wonder weather you are the mastermind behind all of this? if so you should be thoroughly ashamed of yourself!.
Seamus
2025-12-19 12:46:32
CC, do you actually read what you write? One minute you don't know me and the next you're asking if I'm behind the flags and if so I should be ashamed of myself. Then this "and I swear to god I'm going to do everything in my power to ensure that happens!." Honestly and with christmas spirit in mind, take a break from the internet. It is doing you more harm than good.
Eileen Dover
2025-12-20 00:58:25
With respect ladies and gents, I can remember for many years that St. George’s Day was never celebrated in England at all…maybe in the odd village church or parish hall, but 23rd April was never in the forefront of most people’s minds back then, 60 years ago. The Irish always celebrate St. Patrick’s and good luck to them, but England has never really embraced St. George’s Day with the same level of patriotism. So it does come as a surprise that England has finally woken up to celebrate their flag, but it has taken quite a few decades to reach this level of patriotism. That said, I think the flags on bridges and lampposts look to be a bit last-minute and desperate, it’s like a competition to see which town is the most patriotic!
Val
2025-12-20 01:28:48
Concerned Citizen, a a few observations before you move off to sunny Hertfordshire: 1. Even by the lamentable mathematical standards of Diane Abbot 318-400 people out of an electorate of around 70,000 does not constitute a majority. You provide no evidence whatsoever that the majority. 2. One person at the Youth Council is hardly representative of Harlow's young people. And as for James Griggs & co. hoisting a whole array of small, cheap flags around College Square, he clearly missed his leader Keir Starmer at the grand flag waving finale at the recent Labour Party Conference. 3. Africa and Eastern Europe are not countries: Africa is the second largest continent comprising 53 countries and Eastern Europe is a region that is not precisely defined but comprises a number of countries.
concerned citizen
2025-12-20 13:02:22
Look val I'm not here to have a slanging match about electorates, the labour party or indeed weather the Youth council speaks for the majority of Harlow's young people (which I'm sure it does) all I want is to be safe in my home town and thanks to these ridiculous flags I don't really feel that anymore!. if you want to carry on promoting the work of people like Stephen Yaxley Lennon and those racist thugs outside the Bell there is nothing I can do to stop you but Please do not try and claim that the "silent majority" are behind the Flags because I can assure that they are not!, the Essex Spartans have already been unmasked by the council's head of public safety and it will only be a matter of time before they see that the flags are linked to them!. in other words there is an end to this weather you like it or not!.
Seamus
2025-12-20 18:16:32
Stay inside over christmas CC, there is a horrible man in a red suit flying over Harlow throwing things down people's chimney's. I hear he uses multiple names too, St Nick, father christmas, santa, to name a few. I hope you can stop him flying over Harlow "swearing to god you are going to do everything in your power to ensure that happens!.
Ted
2025-12-30 20:09:16
CC Please spell the word whether correctly. Your weather is to do with rain, wind, sun etc. And there is just as many fags in Hertfordshire.
Ted
2025-12-30 20:11:06
That should be flags , I imagine fags as well
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