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By George! How very unpatriotic

Christopher Brereton
1/ 6/2006

EXCLUSIVE

IN the run-up to the football World Cup, spoilsport New Prospect bosses have banned workers from flying England flags.

A letter has been sent from assistant director of property services John Rule, telling managers to instruct staff that maintenance workers using New Prospect's fleet must not fly any "unauthorised accessories, namely the flag of St George".

The letter goes on to add that while "those amongst us who support the England football team in the forthcoming World Cup wish the team every success," the flags were inappropriate and "can seriously compromise the health and safety of our own employees and members of the public".

The draconian line taken by New Prospect - in charge of Salford City Council's stock of 27,000 council homes - has infuriated workers who simply want to demonstrate their support for the national team.

Many say the move is just another example of political correctness and pointless bureaucracy.

One New Prospect worker said: "It's a shame but symptomatic of the excessively politically correct world in which we now live."

"However, Salford is increasingly becoming a multi-cultural city and the council has to be sensitive to how residents of other nationalities would react to England flags being displayed."

The partner of another New Prospect employee, who is upset at the decision, said: "I just think it's absolutely disgraceful that you can't support your own team. It's another step in a long list of things you can no longer do to show your support for your country. This is just political correctness - what other reason could there be?

"Some of the lads have their own team flags inside the vehicles but nothing has been said before, so it must be about England.

"They got all the workers in the canteen and threatened to stop the workers from going out there and doing their jobs because they would confiscate any vans still flying the flags. It's just madness."

New Prospect declined to expand on why it had taken the stance. A spokesperson said: "We support the comments made in the letter and do not wish to comment further."

Salford City Council employees can display the flags.


| Submit CommentSubmit Comments | View CommentsView Comments(11)


Most recent 2 of 11 user comments

   I think this is disgracefull, fair enough we do allow other nationalities to live in this country and we all treat them as equals in politics and every other way of living. how ever they are living in ENGLAND! if they want to support their own nationalitie they can in any way they like, we are not stopping them. i think that this is wrong, whats next... banning christmas from TV?
christopher marsden, Salford
20/07/2006 at 16:16
   Just who are these morons who are trying to tell us how to think and be in charge of our lives? Multicultural we may be - and rightly so - but other nationalities are here because they WANT to live in England AND BE ENGLISH!! Logic dictates then that they cannot rightly be offended by the displaying of English symbols because they ARE English or want to be so and will therefore WANT to support England in any manner they can. Cant someone tell these low-IQ PC fools to take their juvenile ideas somewhere else where they will be appreciated?
J Smith, Salford
24/06/2006 at 13:12
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