DUP 'shared society mayor' behind Craigavon Union flag blitz

A DUP former Mayor who says she is striving for a shared society is behind a proposal to fly British Union flags from SEVEN buildings in Craigavon, 365 days a year despite legal and Equality Commission advice warning against any change in the policy on flags.

A DUP sly move is presenting as a “compromise” the flying of the Union flag from one building all year round instead of the seven buildings it ridiculously originally proposed.

DUP former Mayor Carla Lockhart (pictured), who professes to be a devout Christian, previously told the unionist News Letter in an interview:

“God teaches us to love our neighbour and certainly in politics particularly, as we strive towards a shared society, this is something I am having to live out in my personal and political life every day.”

Last week, though, she proposed and unionist councillors voted through a motion to fly the British Union flag every day of the year from Craigavon Borough Council offices.

The bizarre decision came despite the council spending TEN THOUSAND POUNDS on an Equality Commission consultation and legal advice which told the council NOT to change its policy of only flying the flag on designated days – and warns any change could be subject to legal challenge.

Sinn Féin Councillor Gemma McKenna said the move is “most likely illegal” and “flies in face of advice from the Equality Commission” which showed there was no interest or support for the flying of the Union flag. The vast majority of respondents said that NO FLAGS should be flown on the council buildings.

“Despite spending £10,000 of ratepayers' money on the consultation, unionist councillors chose to ignore the consultation results and all the legal advice given,” Gemma said.

Lockhart claimed that because the flag would fly from only one location rather than seven, it would “not cause offence to those who oppose it.”