THE European flag will not be flown at the Scottish Parliament after Brexit.
Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh has written to MSPs to explain the move.
The flag will be taken down after 11pm on January 31, when the UK officially leaves the EU.
Former Europe minister Alasdair Allan was campaigning for the flag to stay up to recognise Scotland’s 62 per cent vote for Remain in the 2016 referendum.
The decision was made yesterday by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB), which rules on the running of the Parliament.
It is made up of a representative from each party in Holyrood and is chaired by Mr Macintosh.
It is understood members were divided on the move.
In his letter, the Presiding Officer said: “I am writing to inform you that, following the UK’s decision to leave the EU, the SPCB agreed at its meeting this morning that, from 11pm on 31 January, the Scottish Parliament will no longer fly the EU flag on a daily basis.”
However the SPCB decided the flag will be flown on Europe Day on May 9.
The letter added: “The SPCB decided that on Europe Day we shall fly the Council of Europe flag as a mark of our continued ties with that body and that our flag-flying policy should be amended to reflect these decisions.”
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