Flying the flag in Colchester

12.00.00am GMT Wed 7th Feb 2007

Colchester High Street

The Union Flag should be flown from Colchester Town Hall every day. That's the call by the town's MP Bob Russell who is one of the co-sponsors of a House of Commons Motion which says that Britain's national flag should be flown daily on all public buildings in the United Kingdom "as a demonstration of national confidence and pride".

Mr Russell has written to Colchester Borough Council to request that the Town Hall takes a lead, and he hopes that this example will then be followed by those in charge of other public buildings in the town.

He said: "In many countries the flying of the national flag from public buildings, and elsewhere, is done on a big scale. I would like to see this happen in this country, and here in Colchester the Town Hall is the obvious place to start things moving."

This is not the first time that Mr Russell has shown his enthusiasm for flying the flag. When he was Mayor, in 1986-1987, he installed a ceremonial Union Flag in the Mayor's Parlour. It was donated by local businessman Mr Hugh Markham to mark the 150th anniversary of his family business. The Flag has become a permanent feature in the Parlour ever since.