Reform UK came under fire for banning the Ukrainian flag from town halls.
Nigel Farage‘s party said it would only fly the Union Jack, St George’s flag and county flags from the council buildings it controls.
The party stormed to victory in ten local authorities in England at last week’s local elections, including Durham, Lancashire and Staffordshire.
Reform chairman Zia Yusuf said its councils ‘will move at speed to resolve that the only flags to be flown on or in its buildings will be the Union Jack and St George’s flag’.
Writing on X, he added: ‘No other flags will be permitted to be flown on its flagpoles, balconies, reception desks or council chamber walls.’
The party later clarified that county flags would also be permitted.
But Labour MP Mike Tapp urged Reform to drop their ‘sickening’ ban on flying the Ukrainian flag.
‘As VE Day reminds us, Britain has a proud history of working with allies to defeat dictators and tyrants,’ the former soldier, now MP for Dover and Deal, said.
Nigel Farage’s party said it would only fly the Union Jack, St George’s flag and county flags from the council buildings it controls
Labour MP Mike Tapp urged Reform to drop their ‘sickening’ ban on flying the Ukrainian flag
‘But while it is sickening, it should come as no surprise. Farage told us that Vladimir Putin is the world leader he most admires.
‘Farage and Reform councillors should stop sucking up to Moscow and drop their ban on flying the Ukrainian flag.’
Mr Farage was criticised last year for suggesting the West ‘provoked’ Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Sir Keir Starmer has previously accused Reform of ‘fawning over Putin’.
Before Reform’s clarification, Labour and Tory MPs criticised that county flags would not be allowed to fly.
Chris Webb, Labour MP for Blackpool South, said Reform was off to ‘a great start’ by ‘banning’ the Lancashire Rose from flying.
A Reform spokesman said: ‘Reform UK will proudly fly the Union Jack, St George’s Flag and county flags. Unlike the Tories and Labour, we are proud of our country and history.’
