A Mansfield election candidate says he received a 'horrible backlash' after calling for the England flag to be displayed more prominently in the town. Ben Brown, a local solicitor who is standing for the Conservative Party in the upcoming Mansfield District Council elections, shared a photo on social media of the Saint George's Cross outside Nottingham's Council House.
The Council House flag, unveiled on April 21 before being taken down on April 24, was installed to mark St George's Day and was believed to be the largest of its kind in the country. Mr Brown's post on April 21 bemoaned the lack of such a large flag in Mansfield, pledging that he would personally pay for one to go up on the town hall every year if he is elected.
But the following day, Mr Brown said he received a "horrible backlash" to the idea. He shared one particular Facebook message he had been sent, which read: "Why are you trying to stir up hate and divide people by offering to put an England flag on the town hall? You're just spreading more racist Tory ideology."
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Mr Brown said: "It was a little bit upsetting to see our national flag being talked about in this way. I probably had a dozen emails and Facebook messages along the same lines, but the one I shared was the worst example.
"I can't believe I'm even having this conversation to be honest, because I can't see that I've said anything controversial here. There was this online reaction but funnily enough, I just haven't heard anything negative about this at all on the doorstep."
Mr Brown said if a big enough building is found, Mansfield could rival Nottingham in terms of having the biggest Saint George's Cross next year. Ben Brown is one of four candidates standing in the West Bank ward for the Mansfield District Council elections on May 4. All candidates standing are listed below.
West Bank
Ben Brown – Conservative
Faz Choudhury – Mansfield Independents
Sally Anne Higgins – Labour
Tony Jones – Reform UK
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