Carmarthenshire Council criticised for not flying Union Jack above County Hall
A former Carmarthenshire councillor said he felt aggrieved at the absence of the Union Jack flag at the council’s headquarters, and was critical of its flag-flying policy.
Robin Griffiths, 76, said he recalls the Union Jack flying above County Hall, Carmarthen, and reckoned it should occupy an empty flagpole there.
It was raised following the death of Queen Elizabeth on September 8, where it fluttered alongside the Welsh, Carmarthenshire and Ukrainian flags.
“I thought this is too good to be true,” said Mr Griffiths, of Llangunnor.
But his satisfaction was short-lived as the Union flag was taken down again.
Mr Griffiths said he phoned the council to ask why, and was told civic buildings in Llanelli and Ammanford only had three flagpoles – flying the Welsh, Carmarthenshire and Ukrainian flags – and it would be inconsistent if County Hall differed.
Rubbish
He said: “I said, ‘What a load of rubbish’. People come over the bridge and see three flags flying, which is great, but the other flagpole is empty.”
Mr Griffiths said the Union Jack was a symbol for those who had died in war-time service.
“It made me so cross,” he said. “This has upset a lot of people.”
He has received an email from the council, which confirmed that the County Hall flags generally mirrored the town hall ones in Llanelli and Ammanford.
Prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the council only flew flags of any description on designated days in order not to devalue their significance, although the council leader has some discretion.
On March 9, the then leader, Cllr Emlyn Dole, said at a full council meeting that the authority stood in solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
Ukrainian flag
The Ukrainian flag was to fly alongside the Welsh and county flags as a sign of that unity. These three flags have been raised since, with the Union one hoisted on designated days.
The email to Mr Griffiths said: “As a mark of respect following the death of HM Queen Elizabeth II, the leader asked for the Union flag to be flown on the fourth flag pole for an extended amount of time between the end of the period of mourning and the birthday of HM King Charles III on November 14, following which the consistency in terms of the flags in Llanelli and Ammanford would return.”
It added that the council’s flag and building illumination protocol will be reviewed following the death of the Queen.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service asked the council if it wanted to respond further to Mr Griffiths’s concerns but it said it had replied directly to him.
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
I feel aggrieved whenever I see that flag flying over any building in Cymru. So that beats him because I don’t like the flying of that flag more than he doesn’t like the not flying of that flag over one building, so he can go and eat his own hat.
A fair compromise would be to fly the FAW flag on the fourth pole – Yma o hyd, You son’s of Speed.
In purporting to represent the UK the Union Jack is a phoney banner. It is an insult to Wales – a UK country not represented on it, and to the Irish Republic – still represented on it (by the Cross of St Patrick) a century after its independence. All Welsh Councils not displaying it should be complemented, including Carmarthenshire.
This is stupid. It doesn’t matter if the Jack isn’t up there. Personally I don’t like the union jack, it doesn’t have Wales part of it. They should have the flag of saint David flying next to the Welsh dragon.
What an old dodderer who doesn’t understand what the Union Jackoff is for, thinks can safely be ignored.
I mean it IS a murder flag, but it’s not a flag to remember dead soldiers from WWII. It is a way older symbol of oppression than that.
Yn gwmws.
Why the hell would we fly that flag. We’re not even represented on it!
The Jack flies from Rhiw Jal often enough, some of us would say… too often
Sickening bit not surprising. Some Brits love to see the Butcher’s Apron as they feel it gives a v-sign to Y Ddraig Goch.
Is Carmarthenshire County Hall a ship now? 🤔 I mean even if they do decide to fly the ‘Union flag’ it won’t be the Union Jack because they’re not at sea 🙄
I don’t want to see the Butcher’s Apron flying in Cymru 🏴
I’d like to ask little Englander Robin Griffiths this question. Why doesn’t he demand councils in England fly our Y Ddraig Goch.? They don’t.
He seems very frustrated that the Union Flag , a flag I might add, that doesn’t even represent Wales, should be flown above his own. What a dinosaur. Sadly ignorance is bliss and his kind are blissfully ignorant.
The insult that really grinds my gears is the observation that Wales IS in fact represented on the Union Flag – by the Georgie cross front and centre. In other words, we do not exist.
If there is a spare flagpole, put y Croes Dewi Sant on it or y Baner Glyndwr. The flag of our nation Y Ddraig Goch is there so all requirements are met.
I’m Sais and I don’t like the Union Flag. Flag of worldwide oppression.