Fly the flag from Town Hall, urges Colchester MP

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 10th Jul 2007

Colchester MP Bob Russell has asked Colchester Borough Council to fly the Union Flag from the Town Hall on a daily basis following the announcement that the Government has ordered the national flag to be flown from all Whitehall departments from this week.

Mr Russell - a known enthusiast for the flying of the Union Flag - tried last year to get Colchester Borough Council to fly it each day, but his request to the Conservative-controlled Council was not agreed.

Essex County Council has for a long time flown the Union Flag each day at County Hall.

Liberal Democrat Mr Russell said he hoped that the Borough Council would now, following his second request, agree to fly the Union Flag at the Town Hall on a daily basis.

"If not, I think they should explain why they are opposed when our national flag is flown each day at County Hall and now, from this week, at every Government department.

"I would also hope that every school and other public institution will also follow the new Prime Minister's proposals that we should have pride in our national flag and that we should fly it more often, as is the case in many other countries."

Hitherto there were only 18 fixed days a year when the Union Flag could be officially flown from Government buildings in England, but the limit has now been lifted following new Prime Minister Gordon Brown's blueprint for constitutional reform which includes changes to the rules on the flag.

During his year as Mayor, in 1986, Mr Russell introduced a ceremonial Union Flag into the Mayoral Suite where it has remained ever since. It was donated by local businessman Mr Hugh Markham. The town's MP flies the Union Flag, and the flags of the four nations of the United Kingdom, on appropriate days from his offices at Magdalen Hall in Wimpole Road, Colchester.

Mr Russell has written formally to Colchester Borough Council to request that the Union Flag is flown each day from the Town Hall.