‘Reform UK spokeswoman’ Ann Widdecombe calls for UK government to end ‘profusion’ of Pride and Black Lives Matters flags

‘Reform UK spokeswoman’ Ann Widdecombe has called on the UK government to ban Pride and Black Lives Matter flags from flying from government buildings.

The former Conservative minister, and reality TV star, said: “I think that the only flags that should be thrown from a government building are, first of all, the national flag from our case, Union Jack in Wales, or the Welsh flag, and the flag of any country that is making a state visit.”

She argued this approach would avoid controversy and special treatment whilst preventing any confusion from a “profusion of flags.”

Widdecombe’s comments follow President Donald Trump‘s recent directive that only the American flag should be flown at American facilities, therefore prohibiting the display of Pride and Black Lives Matter flags at diplomatic buildings.

Addressing specific concerns, Widdecombe highlighted potential contradictions in current flag policies.

“Particularly with the Black Lives Matter you have the issue that they’re in favour of defunding the police, which seems a very odd thing to fly over the Home Office,” she said.

She emphasised that a national-flags-only policy would eliminate potential disputes.

“You can avoid all these controversies, you can avoid all the conscientious objections if the only thing you have is the national flag and that of any visiting country,” she said.

Widdecombe went on to criticise what she sees as a lack of patriotic education in Britain.

“First of all we’re taught to be ashamed of our country. Children are taught the worst possible aspects of colonialism in schools, virtually no addressing of the good aspects at all,” she said.

“I’m not suggesting that you teach [children] the country is always right and has never been wrong,” she explained. “I’ve advocated teaching them how to think and to get them thinking, they need balance.”