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Sackman calls for Barnet Council to remove Union Jack flags
MP says flags were raised without permission, and have raised concerns among some locals of intimidation
Finchley and Golders Green MP Sarah Sackman has called for Barnet Council to remove Union Jack flags that have been hoisted on numerous public lamp posts without permission in Temple Fortune and Golders Green.
The politician confirmed that she has received messages from residents describing the flags as “unsettling, intimidating and othering.”
Sackman, recently reappointed as a minister in Andy Burnham’s government, noted that Union Jack and St George’s flags had been tied to lamp posts since last September—well before the recent World Cup, and the visit by King Charles.
When council contractors began removing the flags, they were met with abuse, she said.
Sackman also pointed out that while the far-right group Operation Raise the Colours had not claimed responsibility for the flags in Barnet, they have been linked to similar campaigns in Oxford, Birmingham, and Essex.
In an article for the Barnet Post, Sackman wrote: “Those who live and spend time in Temple Fortune and Golders Green will know that St George’s and Union Jacks were hoisted on public lamp posts, without permission, long before the World Cup. It is now time for them to come down.
“Since September, huge numbers of flags have appeared on public property across Barnet. For many in our community, these flags are not symbols of national pride, but rather sources of division and intimidation.
“I have heard from many residents who are concerned about the presence of these flags.
“Several have described them as unsettling, intimidating, and othering—something we cannot ignore. In a diverse and inclusive community like ours, no one should feel unwelcome.
“Given the national context, it is no surprise that residents feel this way.
“The raising of these flags in Temple Fortune did not happen in a vacuum.”
Sackman added that she had been “proud” to fly the flag in her government office while cheering on England during the World Cup, as well as during King Charles’ recent visit to Golders Green.
“During times of national celebration or mourning, our flag should represent pride in being British,” she said. “A Britishness that is inclusive and welcoming, not exclusive and hostile.”
She concluded: “Our residents deserve better. People are entitled to fly any flags they wish on their own property, but our public spaces must belong to everyone.”
After posting the message on Instagram, Sackman was greeted with a series of comments suggesting her call to have the flags taken down was the wrong one, although other posters agreed they found the flags unsettling.
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