eurealist.co.uk

Trying to Make us all feel like nice little EUrooopeans
From Neil Herron

Christopher Booker’s Notebook
Sunday Telegraph
Sunday 02nd October 2005

The European Parliament is, as it likes to insist, “a rules-based organisation”, so its office in London was quick to comply last week when, following a complaint by the UK Independence Party, it was told to haul down the large EU flag hanging outside its Westminster premises as being in breach of planning law.

This followed a similar retreat by Wear Valley council in the North-East, which had been proudly flying the blue and gold “ring of stars” outside its offices, to honour the fact that its leader, Olive Brown, is a member of the EU’s Committee of the Regions.

On the advice of the North-East campaigner Neil Herron, a local resident, Jim Tague, pointed out to the council that, under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulation 1992, the EU flag is classified as “an outdoor advertisement” and requires planning permission. Wear Valley was thus forced to remove the flag. The parliament has now followed suit.

If similar actions are taken across the country, doubtless few will be more upset than Kenneth Clarke who, despite his efforts to downplay the “Europe” issue, is still a vice-president of the European Movement. This Brussels-funded lobby group urges the flying of the EU flag as widely as possible because, as it claims on its website, it “advertises the Union as a benevolent, familiar aspect of our country’s identity”.

Alas, the website does not advise Europhiles that this may be illegal, and that to display their “advertisement” without planning permission is viewed in planning law as no different from putting up a hoarding for Coca-Cola.

The Mail on Sunday
Harry Blackwood
October 2, 2005

Here’s how to haul down those EU flags

Although I’ve not been round to check, I’m told many town halls and civic centres across the North East are keen to promote European unity by flying the EU flag on their flag poles.

All very politically correct and New Labour. However, if you see the blue flag flying, you may to take a leaf out of Jim Tague’s book and pop in and ask themto take it down.

Jim, from Bishop Auckland, was incensed that Wear Valley District Council had the EU flag fluttering.

So he did some homework. He discovered the council was in contravention of the Town and Country Planning Act and also Section 19 of the Local Authority Guidelines on Publicity.

If councils fly any flag they first need planning permission.

Even if they’ve got that, they can’t fly the EU flag because they are not allowed to use public money to attempt to persuade the public to hold a particular view on a political matter.

So there you have it.

I suppose it’s hoping for too much for the Cross of St George to be given due prominence.

Press Release
The People’s No Campaign
23rd September 2005

First the Ashes…now another Victory for England
(Campaigners force Council to remove EU Flag)

Wear Valley District Council has been long flying the EU flag outside its council offices. Its Leader, Olive Brown is a representative on the EU’s Committee of the Regions. Neil Herron and Bishop Auckland and Wear Valley District Council resident resident, Jim Tague, decided action needed to be taken against this blatant attempt to promote the EU.

The Regulations for the flying of flags is controlled by the Department of Culture Media and Sport. The flying of flags other than the Union flag is regulated by the Town and Country Planning Act 1992 Regulations on the display of Advertisements.

As the European Union is a political project a Local Authority will also be in contravention of Section 19 of the Local Authority Guidelines on Publicity…ie. you cannot use public money to attempt to persuade the public to hold a particular view on a political matter.

So, any Local Authority flying an EU flag must be asked politiely to remove it as they will not have planning permission and are in breach of the Section 19 guidelines.

The request for an explanation as to whether WVDC had planning permission to fly the EU flag was made by Jim a couple of weeks ago and yesterday WVDC confirmed that they had no authority or permission to fly the flag.
This morning the Cross of St. George had been hoist on the flagpole in place of the EU flag.

Neil Herron states: “It is not acceptable for any Local Authority to be promoting the EU… a corrupt, undemocratic, unaccountable, profligate bureaucracy. The EU is a political project and cannot be promoted using taxpayers money. Flying a flag amounts to blatant propaganda. Within twelve months we will ensure that no EU flag will be flying from any public building in this country.Well done to Jim Tague for bringing the matter to a speedy conclusion.”

We now expect every other Council across the country to start obeying the law and remove any EU flags from public buildings.

ENDS

Contact:

Neil Herron

Office: 0191 565 7143
Mobile: 07776 202045

http://www.neilherron.blogspot.com/

http://www.thepeoplesnocampaign.co.uk/

Northern Echo
Saturday 24th September 2005
Fly the European flag? EU can’t do that…
by Dan King

A COUNCIL has been forced to take down a flag outside its headquarters - after learning that it was illegal.

And now councillors in Wear Valley face the embarrassment of meeting to decide whether they can grant permission for the European Union flag to be returned.

The council has had the flag on display for several years at its Crook Civic Centre base in County Durham, but yesterday replaced it with a St George’s cross after the error was flagged up.
Local crusader Jim Tague made a request under the Freedom of Information Act as to whether the council had the correct permission.

Government rules state that, although national flags can be displayed, flags for political projects can not, due to laws on spending taxpayers’ money to promote one side of a debate above another.

Mr Tague said: “My question was, prove to me that the EU is a nation state, or produce the planning documents. They could do neither.
“They will have to very careful about putting it back up.
“I don’t think you’ll find one Englishman in this country who wants the EU flag to be flown ahead of our own.”

Anti-European campaigner Neil Herron, from Sunderland, said it was a victory for campaigners opposed to European constitution and said it would set a precedent.
He said: “It isn’t a flag of a nation state - it is the flag of a political project. I object to the flying of an advertisement for an unaccountable, corrupt body.”

A spokesman for Wear Valley District Council said: “We are looking to get it put back up again - with the appropriate permission.”