Glasgow councillor calls to stop flying Union flag on King's birthday

Glasgow City Council has been asked to stop flying the Union flag for the Royal Family’s birthdays – including the birthday of the King – and add dates to display the Cuban, transgender and Palestinian flags among others.

Scottish Greens councillor Dan Hutchison said the current policies are not in line with a “progressive” city and wants the Red Flag for workers to be flown as well as the Ukrainian and German ones.

His motion, to be brought before a full council meeting next week, also calls for the Pakistani flag to be raised as well as the French and Italian.

The councillor has also called for Glasgow to scrap its long-standing policy of flying the Union Jack on dates such as the birthday of His Majesty the King, as well as those of Princess Anne and the Queen Consort, and Commonwealth Day.

Councillor Hutchison’s motion said: “Council agrees that its current flag protocol does not adequately reflect the progressive and internationally minded city of the modern day.”

It continued: “Council agrees that adopting flags such as the transgender Flag and the Red Flag signifies support for both Glasgow’s transgender community and workers, in a similar vein as the current protocol does with International Women’s Day and International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDHBT).”

It recommended the changes and said “council also agrees that Glasgow is an international city, with a rich history of migration, and with a vibrant twin city scheme”.

A flag to celebrate Lunar New Year may also be displayed following consultation.

The motion will be presented at a council meeting next week.

Councillor Hutchison’s motion suggests the following flag flying dates be added:

First Monday in May – Mayday – Red Flag
April 25 – Liberation Day – Italian Flag
July 14 – Bastille Day – French Flag
August 14 – Independence Day – Pakistani Flag
August 23 – Independence Day – Ukrainian Flag
October 3 – Reunification Day – German Flag
October 10 – Cuban Independence Day – Cuban Flag
November 20- Trans Remembrance Day – Transgender Flag
November 29 – International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People – Palestinian Flag

Councillor Hutchison’s motion also proposes to remove the following dates from the flag flying protocol.