A suspended Labour MP said her ‘stomach churned’ when she saw colleagues wave English flags – describing them as just ‘tatty bits of cloth’.
Rachael Maskell was elected to serve the York Central constituency but had the whip removed this year after rebelling against Sir Keir Starmer‘s welfare cuts.
Speaking at a university event, Ms Maskell said: ‘I personally think we need a little bit of a break from flags right now, and my stomach churned at Labour party conference when everyone got out their St George’s flag… that’s not the Labour party.
‘And Keir Starmer with his two Union Jacks regimented behind him… that’s not the Labour party.
‘The Labour party is the insurgent to the colonial state, you know, it’s not about owning it.
‘So I think having a bit of a break from flags would be therapeutic for us all in having to wrestle with this.’
Sir Keir had urged members to ‘fly our flags’ during his keynote speech at Labour’s Liverpool conference triggering attendees to wave the English St George’s cross, the Scottish Saltire and the Welsh Red Dragon.
Only last week it was revealed a Labour-run council would rip down hundreds of St George’s flags from lampposts and walls across the city.
Rachael Maskell (pictured) was elected to serve the York Central constituency but had the whip removed this year after rebelling against Sir Keir Starmer ‘s welfare cuts
Sir Keir had urged members to ‘fly our flags’ during his keynote speech at Labour’s Liverpool conference
Derby City Council offered residents a chance to collect their flags before they began a widespread removal.
Over the past month the streets of Derby, like many other towns and cities across England, has become adorned in England flags.
Known as Operation Raise the Colours, the movement has led to communities across the country hanging up flags in their streets, including in Bradford, Newcastle, Norwich and the Isle of Wight, in defiance of council bans.
A Labour source said: ‘We’re proud of our country’s flags and we’ll never apologise for that.’
Ms Maskell told The Sun she is trying to ‘build unity and not division’ after alleged racist incidents in York.
