Protest at Proms EU flag promotion

A letter of protest about blatant promotion of the EU during the Last Night of the Proms in the Royal Albert Hall has been sent to the BBC's Director General by an irate UKIP MEP.

"Over the past few years there has been a creeping, indeed blatant promotion of the European Union by the BBC during the televised, ‘Last Night of the Proms’ in London," said Paul Nuttall.

"This has being achieved by large EU flags totally usurping the Union Jack flags, which used to form the main backdrop behind the Orchestra and below the statue of Sir Henry Wood, the founder of the Proms.

"This has been noted by a great many viewers and this 'Euro creep' has even extended to certain planted members of the audience.

"It was so bad at one time that viewers sight of the orchestra was almost obliterated by giant EU flags being waved in front of the television cameras," said Mr Nuttall, UKIP MEP for the North West.

"After complaints were made to the BBC about this the large EU flags were taken out of the audience. However, the other EU stage drapes were not.

"The BBC has no right to indulge in pro EU political propaganda, which this most certainly is,. The EU flag has no place at the very night when the British people express their patriotism and pride in their nation.

"The presence of this blue flag alongside the Union Jack, is abhorred by a great many viewers, as the EU flag no more represents Britain and its people in 2009 than the ‘Hammer and Sickle’ of the Soviet Union did Czechoslovakia or Poland during the Cold War era.

"Musicians and singers from all around the world come to perform at the Proms and therefore the presence of certain national flags, especially the flags of the Commonwealth, certainly have a place.

"But the EU symbol, in whatever form it takes, has no right, legal or otherwise, to be there and I have requested that all EU flags to be removed from this great patriotic event," said Mr Nuttall.

ID card flag ban is 'ridiculous'

The Government's decision to remove the Union Jack flag from the proposed identity cards has been branded as ludicrous by UKIP Leader Nigel Farage.

"We are utterly opposed to the whole idea of identity cards and Big Brother government anyway but this latest twist is utterly nonsensical," Mr Farage said.

"It's typical of the knee-jerk political correctness that governs thought in the Labour government. The loud minority have every wish granted while the silent majority suffer the consequences.

"Why remove the flag when it was already on drafts of the identity cards. If the Government insists we have them, then at least it should be easily identifiable to border control where the holder is from.

"The Government says it's axed the flag to avoid upsetting groups who may not identify with the UK symbol. This is simply ridiculous. Surely if someone is actually asking for a national identity card showing they are a British citizen, then surely they identify to some degree with the Union Jack?

"This move comes from the same thinking that bans the St George flag on public buildings, prohibition of Christmas nativity scenes and other barmy rules that undermine our culture and our sense of nationhood."