The Labour leader of Hertsmere Borough Council has described Operation Raise the Colours as “an attempt by a bunch of criminals, extremists [and] nonces to hijack our national flag”.
Cllr Jeremy Newmark made the comment – which brought gasps from fellow councillors – at a full council meeting on Wednesday (17 September) in response to a question from Conservative Cllr Brett Rosehill.
Operation Raise the Colours is a movement to put up the St George’s flag and the union flag on lampposts and other street furniture.
In his question before the council meeting, Cllr Brett Rosehill said that the movement “reflects public sentiment” and asked Cllr Newmark to “guarantee that these displays will not be removed in our borough”.
At the meeting, Cllr Rosehill said Cllr Newmark was “constantly linking our national flag to extremism”, and warned him it could “run the risk of letting extremists define it instead of reclaiming it for the mainstream”.
In response, Cllr Newmark said: “I’m sorry but I’m not playing.
“I won’t be taking lectures on our national flag and extremism from a councillor that has the audacity to speak in almost glowing terms in this question to the council about Operation Raise the Colours.
“Operation Raise the Colours: an organised, orchestrated attempt by a bunch of criminals, extremists [and] nonces to hijack our national flag.
“Cllr Rosehill, this is the organisation that you cited in glowing terms in your question.
“Look at the individuals behind that organisation. Look at the individuals behind Tommy Robinson’s event this weekend. Look at their string of criminal convictions, sex offences and such like.
“If those are the people that councillors in the group opposite see fit to quote in this chamber, see fit to laud in this chamber, and see fit to use as part of normative political discourse, then something is very wrong.”
In response to an earlier written question from Cllr Rosehill, Cllr Newmark said he had “made it clear that Hertsmere will not remove flags from any street furniture under our control unless there is a clear and present risk to public safety”.
The upper tier authority with responsibility for highways, Liberal Democrat-run Hertfordshire County Council, has said that it will remove “unapproved items” when workers are next in the relevant area.
Cllr Newmark said he “strongly supports the display of our national flags”, pointing to the union flag flying at the council’s Civic Offices, the council-owned Elstree Film Studios, and along Shenley Road in Borehamwood, as well as the St George’s flag put up to mark the Lionesses’ success at Euro 2025 this summer.
But he continued: “Alongside the genuine and heartfelt surge of patriotism, there have been attempts to associate our national flags with an initiative known as Operation Raise the Colours.
“This effort seeks to misuse the union flag to intimidate certain groups.
“There is reliable evidence that the organisers of this initiative are long-standing far-right activists, many with serious convictions for racially motivated violence.
“There is merit in ensuring the flag is displayed correctly and respectfully, thereby reclaiming it from extremist groups and affirming its true meaning for the vast majority of residents."
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