MSPs to vote on decision to keep EU flag flying at Holyrood

MSPs are set to decide on whether or not the EU flag should be kept flying over the Scottish Parliament after Brexit.

Elected members will debate the issue during First Minister’s Questions at Holyrood on Wednesday.

A vote will then take place to decide if the flag should be removed or kept as is after the UK leaves the EU.

The debate, which is expected to last 30 minutes, will take place before MSPs discuss indyref2.

The Scottish Government motion states: “The European flag has been flown at Holyrood since 2004 as a symbol of membership of the family of European nations; recognises that Scotland and the UK will continue to be represented within the Council of Europe, and that the UK’s exit from the European Union will not change this.”

However, the Scottish Conservatives have hit out at the move criticising the SNP for “forcing debates on flags and independence”.

Tory chief whip Maurice Golden said: “The SNP isn’t even pretending to care about other issues now.

“Valuable time in the Scottish Parliament should be used to address the very severe problems in our hospitals or the crisis engulfing our education system.

“It’s completely ridiculous that the governing party of Scotland is dominating business like this on two matters which have already been decisively resolved.”