Union jack replaced with Welsh flag after dispute

• By Oliver Slow & Twm Owen
• BBC News

A retired teacher is claiming victory after the Wales flag was raised at one of Monmouthshire’s most prominent buildings and the union jack lowered.

Shire Hall in Monmouth has agreed to fly the red dragon following a complaint by Peter Williams.

He said flying the UK flag displayed a lack of respect towards Welsh culture.

Shire Hall said it had been following UK government guidelines but was now flying the Red Dragon “after feedback and comments from the community”.

Mr Williams has been in dispute with the building’s management since last June, but the row escalated on 1 March this year when the former deputy head teacher realized the council-owned building – which houses a museum and is run by Monmouthshire council – was not following what staff had told him was its policy of flying the Welsh flag on St David’s Day.

He added he was told it was not flowing on the Welsh patron saint’s day because of a hail storm and a weak flag pole.

He established the venue had been following guidance on flag flying issued by the UK government that only applied to England.

Once this had been pointed out, Mr Williams said staff at the building were “very supportive and dismayed by the situation”, and that the Welsh flag “is now flying proudly on Monmouth Shire Hall”.

Mr Williams first raised concerns in June 2023 when he was told the union jack must be flown above the Welsh banner but the “integrity of the flagpole” meant that was not possible.

Staff then emailed him a copy of the protocol it was following, titled UK Government: Flying Flags; A plain English Guide.

Mr Williams said he then pointed out the protocol applies only in England, and that he later received confirmation from the Welsh government it had issued no diktat to local authorities on flying flags from their buildings.

“I’ve had no response on who is responsible for implementing English guidelines here in Wales,” said Mr Williams, who moved with his wife to Monmouthshire in November 2020.

He is originally from Aberdare but had spent more than 30 years living in the West Midlands in England.

He said he was concerned flying the union jack was symptomatic of a lack of respect towards Welsh culture in the area.

“I just picked up the vibe in Monmouth that there is anti-Welsh sentiment such as letters in the newspapers complaining about the Welsh language or bilingualism,” he added.

A Monmouthshire council spokesperson said: “After feedback and comments from the community about flying the Welsh flag, we are proudly doing so for the coming months at the Shire Hall.

“We will review options to consider flag mountings and future arrangements.”