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‘Put them up anywhere’: Cooper backs St George’s flags as No 10 says asylum seekers could be housed in industrial buildings – UK politics live | Politics


‘Put them up anywhere’ – Cooper backs flying of England flags

In an interview with Times Radio this morning Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, said that she was in favour of flags going up “everywhere”.

Under the label Operation Raise the Colours, people have been putting up England flags all over the country this summer. While some of those involved are probably just motivated by benign patriotism, others seem to be influenced by far-right hostility to asylum seekers, as John Harris explained in a recent column.

If any Labour ministers are inclined to agree with John’s column (headlined “Flags as symbols of prejudice, not pride – and a distinct air of menace. Welcome to England 2025”), they are not saying so in public. Yesterday, Keir Starmer strongly endorsed flying the flag. And, in an interview this morning, Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, went further. She told Times Radio:

I’m going to confess I have not just the St George’s flag, I have St George’s bunting. I have also union jack bunting which is currently still hanging up in my garden shed. I have union jack flags. We have Yorkshire rose flags and bunting as well. I actually even have some Yorkshire Tea bunting but that’s probably going a bit far for your question as well.

So I do I think flags are really important. It’s what brings us together. I do think that people should be coming together around our flags and using the flags to come together and not being used for division.

Asked if people should be putting up flags on motorway gantries, Cooper replied:

Oh, put them up anywhere. I would put them up anywhere.

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Key events

Severin Carrell

Severin Carrell

Severin Carrell is the Guardian’s Scotland editor.

Alison Johnstone, the Scottish parliament’s presiding officer, has told MSPs she is “absolutely appalled” about allegations that a former Labour MSP, Colin Smyth, hid a covert camera in a toilet at Holyrood.

Smyth, the then Labour list MSP for South Scotland, was arrested in early August for allegedly possessing indecent images of children. After that came to light on 20 August, it then emerged he also allegedly held images recorded from a toilet used by MSPs close to the parliamentary chamber.

He was suspended by Scottish Labour and in effect banned from Holyrood after his parliamentary pass was deactivated by officials.

In a statement to MSPs on Tuesday, Johnstone said:

We all feel shock and hurt at the recent allegations relating to an elected member, and reports of an invasion, a shocking invasion, of privacy. The safety and welfare of everyone who works in this building is our priority. These circumstances are unprecedented for this parliament, and it has been and continues to be a highly complex situation to navigate, but it is an ongoing live criminal investigation.

She said Holyrood had not been notified of the exact charges against Smyth, but officials were reviewing physical and digital security.

Police Scotland swept the facilities in the building and no devices were found. Enhanced security checks of the building will also continue as we seek to provide further reassurance to you and to each and every person who works or visits the Scottish parliament.

After the alleged covert camera allegations surfaced, Smyth said:

This allegation came as an utter shock and one I strongly refute.

For legal reasons, I can’t respond to specific matters or speculation, and I appreciate there is a process to go through which I am, of course, fully cooperating with. But I sincerely hope it can be concluded quickly and fairly.

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