UK Foreign Secretary orders British embassies not to fly Pride flag for gay pride events

gay-flag-june-16-2015British embassies worldwide have been ordered not to fly the rainbow Pride flag during this summer’s gay pride events, according to reports.

 

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond is reported to have said the Pride flag, which is a symbol of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender movement, should not replace the Union flag on special occasions.

 

The Daily Mail reports that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London will also not fly the rainbow banner this year, unlike last year.

 

“The Union flag always takes priority,” says a spokesman. “It is flown from the FCO’s main flagpole at all times. It is never substituted for another flag. It is the FCO’s long-standing policy to fly the Union flag, national flags and the flags of Overseas Territories.”

 

“It is the FCO’s long-standing policy to fly the Union flag, national flags and the flags of Overseas Territories.”

 

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond is already facing controversy today after it emerged that the rainbow Pride flag will not be allowed to fly over the Foreign Office and embassies this year.

 

It is reported that aides to Mr. Hammond, who opposed gay marriage when it was going through the Commons in the most recent Parliament, denied that he instructed officials not to fly the rainbow Pride flag from the embassies.

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