Council sends letter to locals about removing flags

A council has written to people in Paisley asking them to remove any saltires or union jacks from lampposts throughout the town.

Renfrewshire Council said it made the decision “for reasons of road and public safety” but that people were free to fly flags from private property.

Last week both Aberdeenshire and Falkirk Council said workers had been threatened while trying to remove flags.

The recent spread of saltire flags in Scotland comes after similar scenes in England, where union jacks and St George’s flags were hung on lampposts and painted on traffic islands.

A spokesperson for Renfrewshire Council said removing the flags was simply in keeping with local authority policy.

They said: “We are aware of flags being attached to our lampposts and other street furniture.

“Our usual policy is not to allow any material to be attached to road infrastructure or other council property without permission. This is for reasons of road and public safety.”

They added: “We have written to residents in some areas, asking they remove any items belonging to themselves. If not, we reserve the right to remove them ourselves.

“Anyone who wishes to fly a national flag from their own private property is of course free to do so.”

The raising of flags has become linked to debate surrounding immigration and asylum seekers, although some groups who promote putting flags up have insisted it is being done to protest against politicians in general.