Politics christmas flags Reform UK

Kent’s Reform-led council has said the Christmas lights can’t go up until all the lamppost flags come down, if you were wondering whether irony is alive and well in the world – 21 top takedowns

Oonagh Keating. Updated November 5th, 2025

A Reform-led council in a Kentish village has run into a dilemma over whether to allow a parish council to put up public Christmas lights.

‘Beyond ironic’: Reform-led council says flags must come down so Christmas lights can go up

[image or embed]

— The Guardian (@theguardian.com) November 3, 2025 at 7:19 PM

Kent County Council has instructed Harrietsham Parish Council to make sure all Union and Saint George’s flags have been removed from lampposts before the lights are attached – for health and safety reasons.

The flags along the A20 had been praised by Reform UK politicians as a sign of patriotism, so the latest Reform climbdown is more than a little embarrassing for them.

Harrietsham Parish Council posted this update to their website.

Christmas Lights on the A20 Kent County Council has now issued the permit for the Parish Council’s Christmas lights to be installed along the A20 in the coming weeks. However, the approval comes with a condition that any flags currently on the streetlight columns must be removed before the lights can go up, as they pose a safety risk. This condition from Kent County Council may result in the installation of the Christmas lights being unable to proceed as planned for 2025. Despite this, the Parish Council will still be liable for the hire cost, as the arrangements were in place before the permit was issued. We feel it is important to make residents aware of the current position and the financial implications placed upon the Parish Council by the condition of the permit. Having taken the time to arrange these for the community, it will be disappointing if they cannot be installed in the coming weeks, but unfortunately this situation is beyond the Parish Council’s control.

Simon Farnaby as Julian in BBC's Ghosts, shrugging

Forget ‘Daddy or chips?’ – the big choice in Kent is ‘Flags or Christmas?’

1.

You’d need a heart of gammon not to laugh…

[image or embed]

— James O’Brien (@mrjamesob.bsky.social) November 3, 2025 at 1:52 PM

2.

It's finally happened.

Christmas cancelled in Kent because Operation Raise the Colours tatty lamp post flags prevent the Christmas lights going up.

www.harrietshamparishcouncil.gov.uk/community/ha…

[image or embed]

— Otto English (@ottoenglish.bsky.social) November 3, 2025 at 1:46 PM

3.

Reform-run Council Cancels Christmas… And, at significant cost.

I would say you couldn't make it up. But unfortunately Reform can and did. ~AA

[image or embed]

— Best for Britain (@bestforbritain.org) November 3, 2025 at 2:09 PM

4.

So, the Reform council now running Kent is telling their "patriotic" supporters to take their flags down or Christmas is cancelled (but they'd still have to pay for it!)
Hilarious

— ianlineham.bsky.social (@ianlineham.bsky.social) November 3, 2025 at 2:14 PM

5.

The Law of Unintended Consequences always comes good. I love it.

— As Sparks Fly Upwards (@fitzjohn.bsky.social) November 3, 2025 at 7:52 PM

6.

Down with flags, up with the fairy lights is a campaign I could fully and enthusiastically support!!!!

— girlwiththemessyhair (@girlwithmessyhair.bsky.social) November 3, 2025 at 2:11 PM

7.

"Cancel the kitchen scraps for lepers and orphans, no more merciful beheadings, and call off Christmas."

— Steve B (@stevebasnett.bsky.social) November 3, 2025 at 2:23 PM

8.

Do you think the whole phoney-patriot endeavour is, erm, flagging?

— Sir Basil (@sirbasil.bsky.social) November 3, 2025 at 2:02 PM

9.

I hate those fucking idiots. "Colours" has a specific meaning, for the military, flags that were originally leadership and rallying points with their own bodyguards, now ceremonial with battle honours and insignia, not some shitty polyester spunk-crusted rags affixed to lamp-posts with zipties.

— Old Hobbit (@oldhobbit.bsky.social) November 3, 2025 at 3:19 PM

10.

Christmas or flags? The great Reform dilema.

[image or embed]

— Memorial Device (@memorialdevice.bsky.social) November 3, 2025 at 10:20 AM

11.

Christmas cancelled because of banners celebrating a Turkish migrant!

— Old Hobbit (@oldhobbit.bsky.social) November 3, 2025 at 3:20 PM

Article Pages: 1 2