Glasgow Green councillor calls for City Chambers to stop flying the Union flag for Royal birthdays

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 to full council next week also calls for the Pakistani flag to be raised as well as the French and Italian.

And he called for the council to scrap its long-standing policy of flying the Union flag on dates such as the birthday of His Majesty the King, as well as the birthdays of Princess Anne and The Queen Consort, and Commonwealth Day.

Councillor’s 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.

The following flag flying dates are to be added if approved by councillors:

1st 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 – Palestine Flag

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

January 9 – Birthday of HRH The Princess of Wales – Union January 20 – Countess of Wessex – Union March 10 – Birthday of HRH Earl of Wessex – Union 2nd Monday of March – Commonwealth Day – Commonwealth June 21 – Birthday of HRH Prince of Wales – Union July 17 – Birthday of HM The Queen Consort – Union August 15 – Birthday of HRH Princess Anne – Union November 14 – Birthday of HM The King – Union