On Thursday 14^th April at a Fully Council meeting of Woking Borough Council a vote will take place on a motion that I proposed at the last Full Council meeting to only fly the flags of countries with democratically elected governments over the Woking Borough Council offices.

This motion is not supported by the Conservative run Woking Borough Council Executive or by officer advice to councillors as it is felt that as the council is part of the UK, it should replace the Inverstor in People Flag with the flag of any delegation from any country that visits Woking, that is recognised by the UK government.

I do not agree with this advice, because I think that it is fundamentally important that local communities have the right to decide locally for whom they wish to show the courtesy and respect of flying their national flag, when visitors visit from abroad.  I can understand and have some sympathy for this advice on the limited occasions when sufficiently high level officials or dignitaries visit Woking such that it would be considered rude of the national government to not recognise them in Woking.  However, on all other occasions it is important to preserve the dignity of the residents of Woking, to decide when to fly the flag of other nations, as to do otherwise is to fall into the trap of national governments that all too often fail to speak up where one country acts against its own values, in the mistaken belief that to do otherwise could harm trade or political relations, rather than the reality which is to appear weak and undermine its own beliefs.

If the UK is to thrive in the 21^st century we need to act locally where the national government feels unable to act, if enough local councillors within the UK take such a view, then the national government will not need to be concerned about offending international partners as the people of the country will have already taken the actions and made the comments that need to be made.

If we do not do this and swallow the lines that oppressive countries wish us to consume, that it is not our business to comment on how they run their affairs, we run a great risk of appearing weak and in effect actively encouraging these states to act directly in conflict with our own values and beliefs in an action which I feel is close to selling our soul.

I am resolved to work to protect the dignity of Woking when welcoming visitors from abroad.