A petition has been launched calling for the European Union flag to be taken down from outside Scottish Government buildings following Brexit.
The petition lodged on the Scottish Government site calls for the “Scottish people’s view” to be tested on the issue post-Brexit.
It comes after a move to stop flying the EU flag at the Scottish Parliament was shelved following a backlash from MSPs after ministers said that the flag should be flown in recognition of the contribution of EU national in Scotland.
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The Scotsman reports that Holyrood’s petition committee is now considering the issue after the petition was lodged by Philip Smith this month.
The petition reads: “This petition is necessary to ensure the Scottish Government stops flying the flag of an organisation that the United Kingdom is no longer a member of,” he states.
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“Although we have left the European Union, Scotland is still a member of the Commonwealth.
“The petition should be allowed to test the Scottish people’s view on whether to have the Commonwealth flag flying in place of the European at Scottish Government buildings.
“An example of where this has already taken place is Gibraltar which is now proudly flying the Commonwealth flag.”
Responding to the petition, ministers told The Scotsman that the EU flag is flown to provide a “concrete and visible expression of the value that we place on the contribution that EU nationals have made to our country”.
The UK ceased to be a member of the European Union at the end of January, with talks continuing about the relationship after Brexit. The UK’s chief negotiator, David Frost, said talks have not yet reached any agreement following intensified discussions between the two sides.
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