🇬🇧 ‘The Union Jack Is Back!’ Romford MP Celebrates Return Of Flags To Havering Town Hall

“It is wonderful to see that after being missing for four years, the Union Jack now proudly flies once again from the main flag mast at Havering Town Hall.”

Those are the words of Romford MP Andrew Rosindell, who has welcomed the return of the Union Jack to the Town Hall — alongside the Cross of St George and the Havering Borough flag.

For Andrew, the moment carries particular significance.

Twenty-six years ago, in 2000, when he was a Havering councillor, he led a campaign to have the national flag flown from the Town Hall throughout the year.

He recalls that the Labour-controlled Council initially refused to do so.

Andrew said:

“Twenty-six years ago, in year 2000, as a Havering councillor, I led the campaign to fly our national flag from the Town Hall throughout the year, after the Labour controlled council refused to do so. All the Labour and most of the Residents’ Association councillors voted against it, but were forced to back down following an outcry from local people across the borough. Havering Council was also shamed in the national and local media for refusing to fly the flag!”

The Union Jack was later removed from the main Town Hall flag mast after Labour and the Havering Residents’ Association took control of Havering Council in 2022.

Andrew described its removal as a sad day.

“It was sad day when Labour and Havering Residents’ Association took control of Havering Council in 2022, as the Union Jack was swiftly removed from the main Town Hall flag mast and was never flown since… that is until this morning!”

Now, with the return of the Union Jack, Andrew says he is delighted to see what he describes as a cherished national symbol once again flying above Romford.

“Reform UK have at last put this right, with our cherished red, white and blue flag once again fluttering above our Town Hall in Romford!“

And there was more to come.

The Cross of St George has also now been raised, with Andrew saying he wants the Essex flag to complete the three flagpoles.

Andrew Rosindell has a long-standing interest in flags and heraldry and is Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Flags and Heraldry Committee.

His campaign for the Union Jack to fly at Havering Town Hall dates back more than two decades, making today’s return particularly significant for the Romford MP.

The return of the flags forms part of the new Reform UK administration’s commitment to what it describes as restoring civic pride across Havering.

For Andrew, however, this is about more than a political pledge.

It is the return of a flag he first fought to see flying above Havering Town Hall 26 years ago.

And now, with the Union Jack and St George’s Cross back in place, there is just one flag Andrew says is missing.

The Essex flag.

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