Three in five Brits want to see more flags flying in public spaces: poll
After flags appeared on roundabouts and lampposts across the country, polling group More in Common asked Britons how they felt about our country’s flags – and those raising them.
The data shows that three in five Britons want to see more flags flying in public spaces. Most Britons (58%) say that we should display more Union Jack and St George Cross flags on public utilities such as lampposts and roundabouts.
Reform and Conservative voters are most likely to want more flags flying: 83% of those who voted Reform in 2024, and 72% of those who voted Conservative, want to display more flags on public utilities.
Labour, Liberal Democrat, and Green voters are less enthusiastic: 47% of Labour voters and 48% of Liberal Democrats say we should fly more flags in public, alongside just 38% of Green Party voters.
The public only wants flags to be removed if they pose a safety risk
Few Britons think that flags should be taken down simply because they don’t have the council’s permission – although most draw a line where safety concerns are involved.
49% of the public believe councils should remove flags wherever they pose a safety risk. 24% of Britons think that councils should not remove these flags under any circumstances – although this more than doubles to 52% among Reform voters.
Only 14% of the public think that councils should remove all flags put up without the council’s permission.
Asked whether these guerrilla flag-raisers are doing so out of patriotism or a protest against immigrants, Britons are split down the middle: 41% believe they are doing so out of pride in Britain and support for the flag; 42% believe they are making a political statement against immigrants.
Views on their motives are split along political party lines, with Reform voters being the most likely to believe those putting up flags are doing so out of pride (53%) rather than a statement against immigrants (40%).
In contrast, Labour voters believe they are doing so out of opposition to migrants (49%) rather than pride in Britain (38%).
