UK council apologises over Union flag row with Primary School
A council has apologised after a politician demanded to know why a school suggested the Union flag could be 'sectarian'.
Tory MSP Jackson Carlaw slammed Cross Arthurlie Primary School in Barrhead, East Renfrewshire, after they issued a letter to parents about flags which had caused 'upset' at a recent event for school leavers.
Headteacher Fiona McDonald said the use of the flag had caused issues at the school, but Carlaw branded the move 'totally unacceptable and deeply offensive'.
In the letter, Ms McDonald said: 'Unfortunately, the use of the Union flag with some staff images on caused some upset at the beginning of the evening.
'As a school, we promote inclusion and acceptance, actively working against potentially offensive or sectarian messaging.
'Although we recognise this was not the intent, we are concerned that others within or beyond the school community may consider that this is something we would encourage.'
Ms McDonald added that she had spoken to the children about why it wasn't a good idea, and how different flags and symbols mean different things to people.
'I hope this helps everyone understand where mistakes have been made and we can move on enjoying the rest of the end of term celebrations,' she added.
But Carlaw, MSP for East Renfrewshire, wrote: 'I am both angry and concerned to learn that an official letter (now confirmed as genuine) issued by the head teacher of a primary school in East Renfrewshire has suggested the use of the Union Flag amounts to 'sectarian messaging'.
'Let me be clear – to equate the Union Flag with sectarianism is totally unacceptable and deeply offensive to people both locally and across Scotland. As a start, the council must issue an unconditional apology.
'Our national flag is not up for debate – it is a symbol of our tradition, unity as a nation and hope for so many.' More Trending
The school was previously praised by inspectors who described pupils as 'highly motivated to learn and achieve'.
According to the Scottish Parliament, the Saltire (Scottish Flag) should be flown in the 'superior' position, followed by the Union flag.
There are no laws restricting the flying of either flag, but tradition stipulates the Saltire flies above the Union flag.
Schools are not required to fly any flags.
The report described pupils as 'polite, confident, articulate' and 'proud of their school and demonstrate the school values very well.'
East Renfrewshire Council said: 'It was not the school's intention to imply the Union flag is sectarian and both the head teacher and the council apologise for any offence and upset that has been caused to pupils, parents and carers and the wider community.
'All educational establishments in East Renfrewshire should be spaces that are focused on learning, unity, and pride in a diverse British society. We expect our schools to foster an ethos of respect for diverse perspectives and national identity.'
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
MORE: 'I won the National Lottery – this is what I now do day to day'
MORE: This 'soulless' UK town is being knocked down and locals are surprisingly on board
MORE: Search suspended for passenger who fell overboard from Scottish ferry
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leader Live
an hour ago
- Leader Live
Lammy travels to Washington as Trump weighs strikes on Iran
David Lammy and secretary of state Marco Rubio will discuss the Middle East as potential American involvement in the conflict looms. It comes after Sir Keir Starmer convened a Cobra meeting of senior ministers on Wednesday to give updates on ongoing diplomatic efforts and UK support for British nationals in the region. The high-level meeting came on the heels of his return from the G7 summit in Canada, at which he and other world leaders reiterated their 'commitment to peace and stability'. But the US president, who left the summit a day early, told reporters outside the White House he was considering strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. He said: 'I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do.' Israel and Iran have been exchanging fire for days after air strikes, which Tel Aviv said were aimed at preventing Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon. Iranian officials insist the country's nuclear programme is peaceful, and claim Israel has caused hundreds of civilian casualties. Tensions are now ratcheting up between the US and Iran, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejecting Mr Trump's call for surrender and warning that any American military involvement would result in 'irreparable damage' to the US. The Foreign Secretary's talks in Washington will cover the deteriorating situation in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine, as well as the UK-US trade deal, parts of which were finalised by Sir Keir and Mr Trump at the G7. Meanwhile, nuclear talks with Iran and senior diplomats from the UK, Germany and France as well as the EU will take place in Geneva on Friday, a European official told the Associated Press. In his comments outside the White House, Mr Trump had suggested the US could still hold talks with Iran. 'I can tell you this, Iran has got a lot of trouble and they want to negotiate,' he said. He said 'it's very late to be talking', but 'we may meet'. If the US decides to go ahead with strikes, it could seek to use the joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia, which the UK would reportedly need to sign off on. Under the recently agreed deal to hand back the Chagos Islands, the UK leases the base from Mauritius, while the US pays for its operating costs. Sir Keir had played down the prospect of US intervention, telling reporters at the G7 that 'nothing' he had heard from the president suggested Washington was poised to get involved. Asked whether the Prime Minister was confident that Mr Trump would not involve US forces in the conflict, a Number 10 spokesman on Wednesday said the UK's position was still that 'we want to de-escalate rather than escalate'. The US State Department has started evacuating non-essential diplomats and their families from the American embassy in Israel. The US is also making plans for evacuation flights and ships for private citizens, the country's ambassador to Israel said. The UK's Foreign Office has evacuated family members of embassy staff from Israel, but has not advised British nationals to leave the country. The department said the evacuation was temporary and a 'precautionary measure', with staff remaining at the embassy in Tel Aviv and the consulate in Jerusalem. Britons have already been advised against all travel to Israel and those already in the country have been urged to register their presence with the embassy. The Foreign Office has also said land borders with Jordan and Egypt remain open, and consular teams are in position to provide assistance to British nationals who choose to leave Israel by land. Minister for the Middle East Hamish Falconer said: 'Our first job is to keep British nationals safe, and our dedicated teams in the region are working around the clock to do this. 'We are asking all British nationals in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories to register their presence so that we can share our updates with them and make sure we're giving them the best advice possible.'
Leader Live
an hour ago
- Leader Live
Imperial beats Oxbridge in global university rankings for second year in a row
The QS Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings have seen Imperial ranked as the top UK university, above Oxbridge, for the second year in a row. Oxford fell from third to fourth place, while Cambridge fell from fifth to sixth in the global rankings for 2026. Only Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US – which secured the top spot in the rankings again – outperformed Imperial College London. In total, four British universities made the top 10 in the international league table, with University College London (UCL) retaining ninth place. However, 54 UK universities dropped in the new rankings, released on Thursday, including the University of Glasgow, the University of Manchester, the University of Warwick and the London School of Economics (LSE). Some 11 UK universities maintained their position in the 2026 table, while 24 improved their position, as the University of Sheffield and the University of Nottingham returned to the global top 100 at 92nd and 97th respectively. Jessica Turner, chief executive of QS said: 'The UK government is seeking to slash capital funding in a higher education system that has already sustained financial pressure, introduce an international student levy and shorten the length of the graduate visa route to 18 months from two years. 'This could accumulate in a negative impact on the quality and breadth of higher education courses and research undertaken across the country. 'While the UK Government has placed research and development as a key part of the recent spending review, universities across the country will need more support to ensure their stability going ahead. 'At the same time, global competitors are seeing their governments increase investment in higher education and research, leading to international peers gaining and, in many cases, overtaking UK universities in the QS World University Rankings.' She added: 'The UK has until now been one of the countries to dominate QS World University Rankings, but institutions in the country are facing heightened competition internationally. 'A targeted approach is necessary by both government and individual institutions to ensure that the higher education excellence the country is renowned for is secured for the future, essential to delivering productivity in a knowledge-based economy and attracting top global talent.'
Glasgow Times
an hour ago
- Glasgow Times
Imperial beats Oxbridge in global university rankings for second year in a row
The QS Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings have seen Imperial ranked as the top UK university, above Oxbridge, for the second year in a row. Oxford fell from third to fourth place, while Cambridge fell from fifth to sixth in the global rankings for 2026. Only Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US – which secured the top spot in the rankings again – outperformed Imperial College London. In total, four British universities made the top 10 in the international league table, with University College London (UCL) retaining ninth place. However, 54 UK universities dropped in the new rankings, released on Thursday, including the University of Glasgow, the University of Manchester, the University of Warwick and the London School of Economics (LSE). Some 11 UK universities maintained their position in the 2026 table, while 24 improved their position, as the University of Sheffield and the University of Nottingham returned to the global top 100 at 92nd and 97th respectively. Jessica Turner, chief executive of QS said: 'The UK government is seeking to slash capital funding in a higher education system that has already sustained financial pressure, introduce an international student levy and shorten the length of the graduate visa route to 18 months from two years. 'This could accumulate in a negative impact on the quality and breadth of higher education courses and research undertaken across the country. 'While the UK Government has placed research and development as a key part of the recent spending review, universities across the country will need more support to ensure their stability going ahead. 'At the same time, global competitors are seeing their governments increase investment in higher education and research, leading to international peers gaining and, in many cases, overtaking UK universities in the QS World University Rankings.' She added: 'The UK has until now been one of the countries to dominate QS World University Rankings, but institutions in the country are facing heightened competition internationally. 'A targeted approach is necessary by both government and individual institutions to ensure that the higher education excellence the country is renowned for is secured for the future, essential to delivering productivity in a knowledge-based economy and attracting top global talent.'
