Tearing down Ukrainian flags won't boost Reform's popularity – it will bolster Putin
In the shifting sands of British politics, Reform UK is starting to make waves – particularly at the local level. Their recent electoral success can't simply be written off as a protest vote, and the two main parties are deluding themselves if they think multi-party politics isn't here to stay.
But with power comes responsibility. Now in charge of ten councils, Reform's policies are no longer just rhetoric –they're being put into practice. And rightly, they're now subject to far greater scrutiny.
Take, for example, Reform's decision to remove Ukrainian flags from council buildings. This isn't just a trivial gesture. It reveals a startling naivety about what the war in Ukraine is really about, the depth of Britain's involvement, and the wider consequences for Europe – including Britain, if Russia is allowed to claim even a partial victory.
Flying the Ukrainian flag is not about 'virtue signalling' or picking sides in a partisan scrap. It's about standing with a democratic nation under siege. Ukraine is fighting for its sovereignty against an unprovoked, brutal invasion by a global aggressor.
Taking that flag down sends a message – whether intended or not – that Reform UK is either indifferent to, or quietly sympathetic toward, Russian aggression. That's not bold leadership; it's recklessness. And it risks putting Reform on the wrong side of history.
This war is difficult, no doubt. But the thousands of Ukrainian flags flying across Britain reflect the public's clear and consistent support, and a sobering reminder of the danger Ukrainians face every day. The flag represents resistance to tyranny, a fight for self-determination, and a defence of democracy. The very values Reform claims to champion. So, again – why pull it down?
Some Reform councillors claim the flag is 'divisive' or that 'it's not our war.' But in a world increasingly echoing the dark warnings of 1937, that's a dangerously short-sighted view. Cyber attacks, espionage, coercion, intellectual property theft, sabotage of undersea cables – we are already in a conflict, operating in the so-called 'grey zone.' Russia is not just attacking Ukraine, it's targeting the West – and Ukraine is holding the front line for us.
Make no mistake: the optics matter. Putin's regime watches Western disunity like a hawk. Every flag taken down is a signal. Every act of hesitation is seized upon. Reform UK may think it's making a statement about British identity, but globally, it's being read as weakness, division, and retreat.
From day one, Britain has been a leading ally of Ukraine – sending weapons, humanitarian aid, and training troops. Flying the Ukrainian flag at council buildings reflects that national stance. Reform's decision to go off-script risks undermining the UK's united front. What kind of message does that send to our allies? That solidarity only goes as far as a council vote?
No one is saying the flag should fly forever. But as long as Ukraine is under attack and Britain remains in the fight – symbolically, economically, militarily – the flag matters.
Reform UK wants to be taken seriously. That means knowing the difference between posturing and principle. Taking down the Ukrainian flag isn't patriotic. It's tone deaf. Let's put those flags back up – and stand with them.
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