I received the first email from a counsellor shortly after I emailed her yesterday; I included it in the first This Is My City Too post yesterday. Note that she was checking her civic emails on a Saturday evening!

I received a second, slighly more nuanced, response from a different councillor today (Sunday):

You’ll be happy to hear that you’re preaching to the choir. I couldn’t agree with you more. I’m currently considering whether to simply vote against the motion or amend it to mean that the St George’s Cross, Southampton Flag, and Union Flag are mandatory to be flown only when there is no other event or group to celebrate. I will discuss with my colleagues and we will move forward as a united front on this issue. Flying the flag should be a matter of pride, not a matter of political point scoring. We should fly the flag because we are proud of this country and what we have achieved particularly in recent years, acknowledging the social progress we’ve made as a society, appreciating all that we’ve accomplished, but to stop flying the flags which demonstrate that progress, that make people feel welcome and safe, that show solidarity with oppressed groups… I truly believe that flying the Union Flag and only the Union Flag lessens the value and pride we should take in that flag. I want us to be flying the Progress Pride Flag, the Trans Flag, the Palestinian Flag, the Ukrainian Flag, the Disability Pride Flag, etc. Alongside the Union Flag as a demonstration of our collective values.

I hope that answer is satisfactory.

Its reassuring to know that two of my three local council members are already on the case!