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I greatly enjoyed the Norwegian flotilla in port last week – learning the stories, looking over the actual boats and seeing the Norwegian flag flying from various public buildings in Shetland.
I was equally proud a few weeks ago when we held the annual ANZAC Day service and we could see the New Zealand and Australian flags flying from the Town Hall.
If we are to believe the polls, the Reform Party will make inroads into Scotland in the elections next year, and are forecast to pick up a number of seats on the regional lists.
But I think we do need to take a stand against the creeping and petty nationalism in our politics.
This is no more represented than when I read in the news last week (The Times, 7 May) that the councils in England now controlled by Reform are to ban any flags flying from any public building except for the Union Jack and the St George Cross.
Even assuming they might deign to allow the Saltaire to be flown, it would still mean that the Norwegian, ANZAC or even the Shetland flag would be banned.
Before we cast any vote next year I would ask people to think about whether this is the values and culture we want.
Martin Tregonning
Dunrossness
