MS hits out at Reform calls to stop flying Ukrainian flag outside the Senedd

Mark Mansfield

A Plaid Cymru MS has accused Reform UK of being “out of touch” after the party backed calls for the Ukrainian flag to be removed from outside the Welsh Parliament.

Lindsay Whittle criticised the proposal after Reform UK’s Welsh leader Dan Thomas said he would like to see the Ukrainian flag taken down and replaced with a local or UK flag.

The row follows comments made by Reform Senedd member Cai Parry-Jones, who described flying Ukraine’s blue and yellow flag outside the Senedd as “virtue signalling”.

Responding to comments from the duo, Mr Whittle said: “This demand shows just how out of touch Reform are with the overwhelming majority of Welsh people who are in support of Ukraine’s brave fight against Russian invaders.”

The Blaenau Gwent, Caerffili and Rhymni MS said he had been contacted by Yuliia Bond, a member of the Ukrainian community who now lives in Caerphilly county, asking for his support.

Mr Whittle added: “I can unequivocally say I fully support the flying of the Ukraine flag outside our parliament in Cardiff.

“We should stand up against Putin and his regime who are constantly shelling innocent people in Ukraine and flying the flag is a show of support for their fight.

“It would be much better for everyone if Reform Senedd members refrained from trying to stir things up at every opportunity.”

The debate follows comments made by Mr Thomas in an interview with BBC Politics Wales in which he argued that public buildings in the UK should fly UK flags rather than those of other nations.

Asked whether he wanted to see the Ukrainian flag removed from the Senedd estate, he said: “Yes, I would like to see that flag removed. We could replace it with the Cardiff County flag or something like that.”

Mr Thomas also said: “I think all flags flown in the United Kingdom should be United Kingdom flags, and even counties as well.”

Asked whether removing the flag conflicted with showing solidarity with Ukraine, he said: “We can show solidarity, and we have as a country, but we could do it without flying the flags.”

Mr Parry-Jones told BBC Wales he supported Ukraine’s resistance to Russia’s invasion but argued flying the flag did not materially affect the conflict.

He said: “We need to move away from virtue signalling politics – people see through it and rightfully want politicians to go back to focusing on bread-and-butter issues that will positively and noticeably impact the people of Wales.”

The Senedd declined to comment.

Russian invasion

The Ukrainian flag has flown outside the Welsh Parliament since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Currently the Senedd flies two Welsh flags and one Union flag alongside the Ukrainian flag, with one of the Welsh flags occasionally replaced to mark special events.