Flag flying by binmen is banned
Saturday 29th May 2010, 11:29AM BST.
Patriotic binmen in the Black Country have been banned from flying St George’s Cross flags during the World Cup – amid health and safety fears, it was revealed today.
Refuse collectors in Wolverhampton have reportedly been forbidden from showing their support for England by attaching the red and white flag to their wagons during the tournament. Waste contractor Enterprise has told Wolverhampton Council workers they face losing their jobs if they adorn their wagons with the nation’s colours, it is claimed.
Bosses at the firm, which employs 13,000 people nationwide, fear the patriotic flags could black drivers’ views of the road and put pedestrians at risk.
Enterprise has provided domestic and trade rubbish collection and grounds maintenance for the city since 2005.
The company has Wolverhampton branches at Kingswood Business Park, Crown Street, Hickman Avenue, Park Road West, Culwell Street, Lanesfield and Bushbury.
Spokeswoman Louise Welsh said: “Enterprise has issued a directive across its local government contracts that no decoration is permitted in any company vehicles due to concerns over potential health and safety implications of driver visibility and pedestrian safety.”
One furious worker, who did not wish to be named, said today: “We are all football fans and cannot wait for the World Cup this summer.
“To be told we are at risk of being sacked if we put anything in our cabs is absolutely ridiculous.”
The flag ban affects staff in Wolverhampton, Liverpool, Manchester, Solihull, Gloucester, Selby and London.
By Laura Stuart-Cook
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stick two fingers up to these fools and tell them if they dont like england well leave it then no one should tell u to take it down all these people who moan are racist them selfs as they are anti english
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Absolute rot.
It had NOTHING to do with H&S and more to do with ”not upseting the ”minority” communities”.
It needs someone in that country to stand up to these dictators and tell them where to stick their objections.
Gutless people of ENTERPRISE DICTATORS hold your feeble heads in shame, you are a disgrace. Don’t hide behind H&S.
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The person who has decided this should be tarred and feathered them made to run naked through birmingham draped with the flag around them
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HEALTH AND SAFTEY THATS A COVER UP WE SHOULD FLY ARE COLOURS WITH PRIDE
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This is a joke.
This is England and if they want show their support then fine.
As an Asian I get more offended by people telling me what I should be offended by than a England flag!
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Idiots in Control—-Probably go home a bully thre cat or goldfish–Crazey Dave
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Tell you what, folks. Paint your bins in our nation’s colours not just to show your support and love for your country, but to also show what what a load of waffle this blanket ban actually is.
Another case of ‘oh well, it’s only the English they don’t matter’. Now just imagine if this had been certain other ‘cultural events’..they’d be bending over backwards to compromise, to please anyone. It’s the PC brigade who’s creating the mess, not the bin-men who work hard and don’t need this kind of idiocy to deal with.
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This is absolutely outrageous!! Action needs to be taken against this disgusting company to show the level of resentment that people are going to feel. This is no longer about just their employees, this is about England. They are insulting our great country in a spectacularly insulting display of non patriotism. Their actions are unacceptable and can not be tolerated. I would urge everyone who has feeling for our country to email, write or even visit this revolting company and tell this scum how we feel. Health and safety my a***!!!!!
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WHAT A LOAD OF BULL THIS IS TAKING HEALTH AND SAFTEY TO FAR.WHATS THE MATTER WITH THESE PEOPLE.DO THEY WANT TO SPOIL EVERYONES ENJOYMENT.
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Disgusting! This kind of unpatriotic nonsense just fuel all the building resentment.
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Time for English people who are proud of their Flag to take these little dictators to court for Racial Discrimination. A continuing hatred by Local and National Government of the indeginous population has got to stop. We need to be proud of our flag, we need to start standing up FOR OURSELVES, too long we have given in and now look at these councils, run by petty minded little dicators who are making lives hell because they can get away with it.
Come on E&S do some journalism and let’s know the name(s) of these people that keep stopping the indeginous population from supporting their flag. Political correctness is destroying England, for the English.
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Is anyone surprised at this? Citing Health and Safety is a copout. The probable reason is that the terms “England/English” is not allowed anymore. English people don’t exist in our multicultural society. On official documents you must call yourself British. It’s OK to call yourself Indian,Chinese, Pakistani, Welsh, Irish or Scottish but English is a no no. We are now expected to be grateful for living in our own country.
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What is ‘patriotic’ about flying a flag?
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If you really do not know then that is very sad. I suppose we should feel sorry for you. You are not welcome here.
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Health and Safety my a**e!
More like PC and a fear of offending other groups who probably have no issue with the flying of the flag in this situation.
Unbelievable.
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Exactly correct. Its probably liberal middle class white (sorry is that racist) people sat in a room. In this room they decide what people will be offended by without asking them.
It all stems from the sueing / compensation culture which we live in. They want to stop someone sueing them for something.
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Why is it everyone can be proud of their nationality exept the English disguuting
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This is England and we should be able to show support for our country.My 14 year old daughter was badly beaten up on Thursday and her England necklace was ripped from around her neck and thrown into the road.She was told she was a racist.
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funny how people suddenly become(Patriotic)when the world cup comes around ..any other time the flags are hidden away!!
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Stupid comment of the week.
The World Cup is probably the only occasion when people can show their patriotism these days, since St. George’s day is pretty much a waste of time and there are so many bye-laws and rules and regs that prevent any kind of demonstration of national pride.
Are you English?
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The bosses at these firms should hold there heads in shame. They should be hung for treason against the flag of England.
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Absolutely correct.. and I for one would like to see the flags banned from all vehicles on safety grounds..
After all, its just a just a load of overpaid idiots kicking a ball around a field..
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I agree with you Chris regarding football, but if banning our flag is so as not to possibly offend other races then I’ll cover my car in English flags before, during and after the world cup.
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Stupid comment of the week – second prize.
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Okay I get it, you’re joking, tongue in cheek, right? You should get back on here and explain, some people don’t get sarcasm they just think you’re one of the “When I were a lad” brigade, you know, the characters in comedy shows.
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idiot so you would like to see flags on a car banned for health&safetey reasons what next ban cars you are more likely to get knocked over by a car than a flag blowing off and hitting you
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Anyone, attempting to ban YOU displaying your English Identity with an English Flag or England Shirt is acting contrary to the 1976 Race Relations Act
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My interpretation of this article is this.
Enterprise do not wish their employees to display a S. Georges flag on the company vehicle. They are worried that if they say that with the ensuing World Cup that would upset too many people. So as not to cause too much of a PR disaster they have rolled out the H&S card.
However they would not be able to immediately dismiss employees as threatened in the article if it was just another company regulation, but making it a H&S issue then instant dismissal would be permissible.
I propose that we change the English flag to one that is all HI-VIS yellow then everyone would have to display the English national flag by H&S legislation.
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we will fly the cross of saint george and the union jack from our cars and homes, and be proud to be english , regardless of what the council or government tell us. The forefarthers of this great nation did not fight and die for our free choice to choose how we show our patriotism or love our country only for an-unelected euro obsessed faceless commitee tell us what to do.
okay we might have the extremists like the BNP, NFL,APL, AND OTHER FAR RIGHT WING GROUPS that spoil everything we the true english are trying to achieve, but as the national anthem goes rule brittania, brittania rules the waves.
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Sorry to be the one who points this out to you, Rule Brittania is not the National Anthem. It is God Save The Queen!
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Good old Enterprise… and quite right too!
England can’t be knocked out of this competition (whatever it is) fast enough for me!
Football should be made illegal as it once was…
Yours, Football hater with a passion…but also British with a passion too!
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Do gooders again,i was born in england and i am english not british,im afraid england is not my country anymore.
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Whenever I see a car with an English flag flapping about attached to the window, I can’t help thinking about English people sunning themselves in Benidorm, sizzling away like sausages on the beach, drinking copious amounts of alcohol and commenting on how Manuel’s command of the English language is riddled with mistakes while making no effort to attempt to speak any Spanish themselves. Of course, this scenario could be applied to any foreign resort.
Oh, and yes I am English.
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what a joke, so we are english and our flag in the st georges flag, we are british and our flag is the union jack. if this offends ppl living here then maybe you should go, you come here to live then live by our rules, i bet our benifits system doesnt offend you!!!!
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No community has been offended or asked for the flag to be taken down so what is the basis of your comments?
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Confidence and Pride in who you are and where you’re from cant be taken away by anyone. It cant even be questioned.
The mindless regs of doped sheep are nothing to lose any sleep over. Simply Raise the flags at home even higher.
We are English. We are proud and we can show it every aspect of the way we live.
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