EU flag to be lowered in Paisley
A month after Brexit the European flag will be lowered outside three Renfrewshire Council buildings.
Councillors had their first opportunityto cast their vote on whether the flag should continue to be flown at Renfrewshire Council’s headquarters in Paisley, Renfrew Town Hall and in Houstoun Square in Johnstone yesterday.
And despite the SNP group and sole Liberal Democrat member Eileen McCartin voting to keep the flag up, other parties on the council united to call for its removal as they supported a motion lodged by Conservative councillor Neill Graham.
The matter caused much debate in the chamber at the first full council meeting of 2020, as 19 members voted to fly the flag as representation of the UK remaining part of the Council of Europe.
But Councillor Graham, who represents Paisley Northeast and Ralston, said it was time the council showed it respected the result of the 2016 referendum on the UK’s EU membership.
Cllr Graham said at the meeting: “I’m aware many people voted to remain in the EU. I understand and respect that, but the argument of remain or leave is now over.
“We have left the EU but not Europe. As a continent we face many challenges and we need to have close cooperation with our European friends.
“I have heard various councillors saying the flag should remain up because we remain in the Council of Europe, but we have an opportunity to fly a flag that unites the whole of Renfrewhshire.
“Let’s do what is right to show the people of Renfrewshire that we, as a chamber, respect referendums.”
Despite voting to remove the flag, Labour members of the council did complain about the level of debate which had been staged.
Cllr Eddie Devine, leader of the Labour group, said: “People who are going to foodbanks do not care what flag we fly. This is a nonsense talk about a flag. Nobody cares. You cannae eat a flag.”
Cllr Jim Sharkey added: “Systematically, this council has been stripped of its real influence and that’s why we end up discussing things which cannot be eaten.”
The EU flag will be “respectfully lowered” outside all three buildings at 11am tomorrow (Friday).
However, the council agreed the flag should still be raised for Europe Day each year on May 5 and 9.
There has been no agreement at this stage on what should be flown in its place, though many members have suggested a flag representing Renfrewshire should go up.