Welsh Conservative Senedd Member questions why Senedd has North Korea flag
A Welsh Conservative Senedd Member has questioned why the Senedd is in possession of a flag of North Korea.
A Freedom of Information request by the Welsh Conservatives revealed that the Senedd Commission had spent £12,189.98 on an eclectic array of flags since its inception.
An inventory of flags showed that the Senedd was in possession of national flags as varied at North Korea, Ethiopia and Lesotho as well as the flags of the Basque Country, Quebec and Patagonia.
They had also bought an Owain Glyndwr flag, pride flags, a St David’s Day flag and a Remember Srebrenica flag to remember the Bosnian genocide.
Clwyd West MS Darren Millar however questioned the choice of flags in the Senedd Commission’s possession.
“Flags are important and emotive symbols,” he said. “The fact that the Senedd held no national flags of South Korea or Spain, even though it held a North Korean flag and two Basque flags, could cause significant offence and send unhelpful political signals.
“Many people in Wales will have no qualms about the Senedd flying the Ddraig Goch, Union flag and the flag of St David. But they will rightly question why taxpayers’ money has purchased the national flags of questionable regimes such as North Korea, communist Vietnam and Putin-backing Belarus.”
A spokesperson from the Senedd told the Daily Post newspaper that they had picked up flags over the two decades of devolution from a number of different sources.
“Since the creation of our parliament 23 years ago, the Senedd has acquired a range of flags from around the world for different occasions, such as international visits,” they said.
“For example, the Ukrainian flag has flown in solidarity with the people of Ukraine since the beginning of the war in 2022,” they said.
“On behalf of the people of Wales, we are proud to work with nations all over the world as an open and outward-looking parliament.”
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Darren is of course right to do what a good opposition does – ie oppose, question and test government policies across his portfolio- indeed his activities around the disastrous Betsi C Health Trust have been applauded by most in this area. The matter of Flags however – while having some merit does however smack of the silly season and headline grabbing…. laying open an expenditure is of course right – but what is the outcome here for the lady on the Abergele to Kinmel Bay 🚌Bus struggling to get a hospital appointment or the young family in Bodelwyddan struggling to… Read more »
Fantastic article.
Annwyl Darren, I would much rather you question why the Senedd has a Union Jack flag than the flag of North Korea. The ‘Union’ has done everything in its power to eradicate Welsh identity since 500 years. North Korea has done nothing of the sort. Maybe you don’t like North Korea as they aren’t obedient little lapdogs to the US?
I’m not defending British Imperialism or US foreign policy, but I think you might find that most people don’t like North Korea because it is an oppressive Communist state.
How do you know that though? Have you actually gone there and experienced it for yourself? We only know what our so called betters want us to know! Call me crazy for not taking liars words for truth.
So all those multiple reports condemning North Korea’s human rights including from the UN are lying now are they? Forced Labour camps, political opponents murdered etc.
Why not ask those who lived under communism in Eastern Europe in the 80s if they would like to return to it? East Germany, Romania under Ceausescu, the Polish Solidarity movement etc.
When a liar and a liar join hands, whether they are trust worthy doesn’t just magically increase! Does it?
Actually North Korea has more in common with Nazi Germany than a Communist state. One must show loyalty to the leader in North Korea, not a political system.
Y Ddraig Goch, Y Croes Dewi Sant ac Y Baner Glyndwr should be flown at all times over Y Senedd no ‘qualms’ and yes, flags are indeed ‘emotive symbols’. This man belongs to a party which mandates the flying of a flag on our public buildings which represents a system that harbours a press publishing anti Welsh hate propaganda on almost a daily basis, something even Pyongyang does not engage in.
The one flag that the Senedd should have is the Flag of the European Union.
For the European Union member benefited Wales over many years.
However it was the ‘Union Jack’ the flag of the United Kingdom who’s government removed us from the Union and did not put the case for remaining in the EU, that has damaged the economy of Wales.
I do not like the regime in North Korea. It also is offensive not have a South Korean flag.
The Union Jack is offensive to many Welsh, Scottish and Irish people because of its colonial links.
We in wales voted for brexit.
NO! The English in Wales voted for Brexit. A right they shouldn’t have as they are foreign!
Can you point to some evidence for this? I’m genuinely interested.
There were plenty of news articles proving such a thing. Look them up if you are really interested in be proven wrong.
The Anglo Welsh along with Boris, Mogg and Truss voted Brexit!
Who are the “ Anglo Welsh “ ?
Wales voted for Brexit. Welsh voters are still overwhelmingly pro-UK, and the Welsh were a full part of the imperial colonizing nation which conquered and enslaved people across the world under the Union Flag.
The Senedd could legitimately still fly the European flag. It is not specifically the flag of the EU, it is the Flag of Europe, first produced and flown by the Council of Europe (to which we still belong) before the EC/EU even existed. The EU uses it but doesn’t own it.
The Welsh were? Name all the leaders (policy makers) over those 150/200 years…. They are mainly English, with the odd Scot thrown in. We had to wait until the early 20th century for Wales’ one and only PM of the UK, and he was Born in Manchester. Stop making out we had any say, we didn’t. We were forced then, we are forced now!
While he’s at it, maybe he can ask this too:
“Welsh Conservative Senedd Member questions why Michael Fabricant has apartheid era South African flag on his mantelpiece”
https://twitter.com/FactCheck/status/1017724216010035200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Well, I love Koreans but until the South start using different words in their language for Britain and England, I won’t care too much!
We have flags of all countries in the world. What a total end of a bell
Those little enamel lapel badges, of whatever “club”, remind me of BO in the third form!
And those terrible school uniforms and useless caps…………………..
I’ll bet Millar loved ’em.
I think some people, the Basques, might question why a Governmental organisation had a Spanish flag and not a Basque flag. After all Cymru is a Celtic Nation as is the Basque country. The fact that this ignorant man uses that as an as an example shows how stupid he is! I should’ve punched him when I had the chance!! 😠😡🤬
Sorry I thought the only region of Spain/Iberian peninsula that was Celtic was Galicia
True, Rob. Owain Morgan, you need to hang your shrunken little head in shame!
Celtic, like Christian or Islamic, defined culture NOT racial characteristics.
So how do you square the fact that experts admit that the Welsh originally come from Iberia and have a lot in common with the basques. If the Welsh are “Celtic”, then one can definitely claim The Basque are. Ah I forget, many people just move the goal posts when it suits them.
Same as the Union Jack known around the World as the BUTCHERS APRON from its days as the ENGLISH EMPIRE for slaughtering innocent men women and children in countries the conquered
Indeed, which they practised to expert standards in Wales.
Many have qualms regarding the Union Jack but, unike Tories, are prepared to tolerate other views.
Funny, the same Welsh Tories don’t question why the Senedd flies a Union Flag that doesn’t even represent us, a flag & Union that was born out of our invasion & the annexation in 1282 and 1535.
And the next time you see those pencil neck Welsh Tories wearing Ukrainian/Union flag pins on their lapels do remind them while they show their undying support to Ukraine’s right to independence and oppose Russian annexation of Crimea & Eastern Ukraine but are happy to support a false British Union created when England invaded then annexed Wales while opposing Welsh devolution and independence.
A greater truth have never been spoken! It’s hypocrisy of the highest order.
Flags eh? Possibly the most divisive symbols in the whole world.
Does it also have a flag of his beloved Israel? If so then it should also have one of Palestine..
About time that the CFI and LFI were abolished, absolutely no place for groups like that to exist within british politics,
If you read the linked document it doesn’t actually spell out that they bought a North Korean flag. It could be easily have been donated by the North Korean embassy for example.
Hasn’t this waste of space got better things to do, there really isn’t any reason tories exist.