Gwynedd council won't follow UK Government guidelines to fly Union Jack from the buildings

A Welsh council said it won't comply with "any Westminster dictate" to fly the Union Jack from the buildings.

Gwynedd council's cabinet said there have been intends to fly the Union flag from the buildings despite new UK Government guidelines.

In March the culture secretary announced that all UK Government buildings in England, Wales and Scotland would fly the flag every day and was explained Oliver Dowden MP as “a proud reminder of our background and the ties that bind us.”

The UK Government's Municipality Secretary, Robert Jenrick MP, subsequently wrote to any or all councils in England asking authorities to fly the flag as “a sign of our local and national identity.”

An effective UK Government planning application to show an enormous Union flag along the side of the recently constructed HMRC hub in Cardiff has began further wrangling over identity and nationhood. You can read much more about this story here.

But responding to a question during Thursday's full council meeting, part of Gwynedd Council's cabinet confirmed there were no plans to fly the flag.

Welsh nationalist councillor Owain Williams confirmed that Gwynedd wouldn't be veering from the existing practice of flying y Ddraig Goch (Red Dragon) above Siambr Dafydd Orwig in Caernarfon.

Describing the UK Government's motives as “brazen,” the Llais Gwynedd leader added: “I am unwilling to see us accept this and feel we should express our unhappiness at what's been proposed.

“This is only a small a part of Westminster's intend to undermine our nationhood and our identity, I ask that the council contacts the UK Prime Minister's office and seek an apology for besmirching our nation.”

In response, portfolio holder Nia Jeffreys said: “There happen to be guidelines and encouragement issued to fly the union flag, but we are accountable for our own flag policy.

“Recently there were calls for a UK day with schools to participate an audio lesson glorifying the union and the strength from the union.

“I'm thankful towards the Football Association of Wales for picking out the idea, on the same day, for children to sing Hen Wlad fy Nhadau with schools across Gwynedd joining in after being encouraged by our education department.

“I believe we're doing all we can as a council to advertise our culture and Welsh nationhood.”

The authority has previously been criticised by some of its members for replacing Wales' national banner with a UK Military day flag to notice the annual June occasion, which features part of the Union flag on its design.

A row also broke out on Anglesey in 2021 with people in the council's independent opposition group attempting to pass a motion the Union Flag ought to be flown throughout the year alongside Y Ddraig Goch and also the authority's own logo.

That motion was defeated, however, after failing to gain the support of the Plaid Cymru and Independent ruling coalition nor Labour councillors.

Gwynedd's existing flag policy notes the Union Flag has only to be flown at the time from the funeral of the member of the Royal Family, which at half mast.

Others, including LGBT, Owain Glyndwr and United Nations flags are flown on designated days while a Yes Cymru flag was seen above the debating chamber following the authority passed a motion backing the key of Welsh Independence in 2021.

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Jeffreys added: “In Gwynedd we celebrate our Welsh identity at every opportunity.

“We fly Y Ddraig Goch proudly on all of our council buildings and no dictate from Westminster or anywhere else can change that.”

Would you agree with the comments made by Gwynedd council's cabinet? Leave your comments here.