Durham County Council leader has set the record straight after the Reform-run local authority was accused of taking down Union Jack bunting.
Andrew Husband, who was elected leader after Reform swept up the once-staunchly red county in the 2025 Local Elections, told GB News that the decision was made amid serious safety concerns.
The Chester-le-Street North Councillor also said he wants the Land of the Prince Bishops to fly more flags than any other county in England.
Speaking to the People's Channel this morning, Mr Husband said: "Flying the Cross of St George and Union flag is something we are proud of in County Durham.
"This wasn’t about banning flags — it was one rope for a bit of bunting that could’ve pulled down a lamppost.
"There are flags flying proudly and unencumbered everywhere in the county."
Taking aim at the local Labour Party, Mr Husband added: "Unlike Labour, who seem to prefer the Palestinian flag over our own, we’ll make sure ours fly proudly and safely.
"If it is a competition, I want County Durham to fly the most flags and make a statement now.
"Game on - just do it with common sense, safely and securely and that will do for me."
Reform UK had removed a number of "foreign" and "political" flags from county hall following the party's victory on May 1, replacing the banners with the Union Jack, flag of St George and St Cuthbert's cross.
Prominent Reform UK figures have also been particularly critical of Tower Hamlets and Birmingham's decision to remove the UK and England's national flags from lampposts.
Ashfield MP Lee Anderson this week said: “It’s nearly 5 years ago since I wrote to the last government to ask for the Union flag to be flown from every single public building in the UK. I’m still waiting for an answer.”
Meanwhile, Nigel Farage reacted to Essex County Council's decision to offer support to staff "unsettled" by national flags with fury.
The Clacton MP said: “I’ve got to tell you, as an Essex MP, and yes, I was in Clacton at the weekend and there are an awful lot of St George’s crosses.
“And yes, there are some in places they ought not to be. But I found this whole thing rather uplifting.”
However, Labour mega-donor Dale Vince has been among those to mock Reform UK over its decision to remove the bunting in Durham.
Mr Vince, who has recently unveiled an enormous Palestinian flag across his Ecotricity HQ in Stroud, said: "Reality continues to bite for Reform - when in power.
"They criticised so many other councils for taking flags down for public safety reasons - and now, they’re doing it themselves at a council they run. You gotta love it."