Support for Southampton’s “Raise the Colours” has soared after local Labour MP Darren Paffey threw his weight against the campaign, urging residents not to support movements which in his opinion ‘create division’. Paffey also voted against the Grooming Gang enquiry in January in line with his party whip, a decision the Prime Minister later U-turned on.
Mr Paffey, MP told the Daily Echo “whether it’s the St George’s Flag or the Union Flag, these national flags belong to all of us, not to any one group or cause,” he said. “Aggression distorts real patriotism and insults the values our flags represent. Southampton is a city of sanctuary, rooted in respect and inclusivity. This is what true British values look like.” Donations have jumped considerably since Puffey’s intervention.
Proud Brit, Reform UK MP Lee Anderson was fully supporting the movement. He criticised what he described as “a shameful double standard” by some local authorities. Referring to recent decisions by Tower Hamlets Council to remove Union and St George’s flags while allowing Palestinian flags to fly, Mr Anderson said: “To rip down Union and St George’s flags whilst letting Palestinian ones fly across the city is a kick in the teeth to ordinary Brits and shows utter contempt to the people they’re supposed to represent.”
The “Raise the Colours” campaign has quickly become a rallying point for residents frustrated by what they see as an erosion of national pride. Organisers say their goal is straightforward: to line Southampton’s main roads—from Millbrook Road to West Quay Road and Canute Road—with the Union and St George’s flag as a visible reminder of the city’s patriotic spirit.
Their GoFundMe page, Raise the Colours Southampton, urges locals to help “show our government that we are determined to proudly display our flags on our home turf despite their efforts to put a stop to this.” Organisers stress that every donation will go directly towards purchasing flags and cable ties to display them prominently across the city.
Since the campaign was highlighted in the Southampton Daily Red, around £500 in additional donations have poured in. Volunteers are encouraged to get in touch to help with the flag displays, as the movement gathers momentum and similar initiatives spring up in towns and cities nationwide.
Donate to the Flag campaign below
