Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has ignited a fierce national controversy after demanding construction workers remove a Union Jack flag from his £400 million Manchester development, triggering accusations of suppressing free speech and disrespecting Britain’s national symbol.
The 50-year-old property mogul spotted the flag flying on the fifth floor of his St Michael’s office redevelopment in Bootle Street and immediately intervened. Workers say Neville walked past the site, saw the Union Jack displayed alongside Moldovan and other national flags, then got on the radio to demand specifically that only the British flag be taken down.
“He only mentioned the Union Flag, not the other two and said it had to come down,” one employee revealed to the Daily Mail. The incident has left builders furious, with many questioning why they cannot display their national flag when such displays remain common practice across construction sites throughout Britain.
Mandatory meetings follow flag removal
The flags had been erected by joiners working for main contractor Domis Construction, with the Union Jack clearly visible from street level whilst other flags were positioned more discreetly inside the site. Following Neville’s intervention, workers were required to attend “toolbox chats” about political messaging on site.
“Gary Neville played for England, but he won’t let us put a flag up to celebrate the country where we live,” one construction worker explained. “Afterwards we had to do toolbox chats for everyone about political messages on the building site. Basically we had to explain why we can’t have flags, and we can’t express our political views because Gary Neville says we can’t.”
The employee added that whilst some workers disagreed with the decision, they felt compelled to comply to protect their jobs. “Some of us disagreed, but we had to take them down. They weren’t happy that they had to take them down, but they have to do what they are told; they don’t want to lose their jobs. Everyone else can put their flags up so why can’t we?”
Another worker emphasised the multicultural nature of construction sites: “People who work on construction sites are from all over the place, all different countries, and we all get on really well. So there was no ill meaning behind it. Obviously, there are bad times in this country at the moment, and this is the way people are trying to unite together.”
Controversial video triggers nationwide backlash
The controversy intensified when Neville posted a video on LinkedIn last Friday, initially addressing the terrorist attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Manchester where two Jewish worshippers were killed on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.
The attack, which occurred on 2nd October, saw 35-year-old Jihad al-Shamie, a British citizen of Syrian descent, drive a car into pedestrians before stabbing worshippers outside the synagogue. Police shot him dead within seven minutes. The two victims were named as Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66. Three others were seriously injured, with one victim and one injured person accidentally shot by police firearms officers during the response.
However, Neville’s message quickly shifted from the terror attack to criticising the display of national flags across Manchester. “We’re all being turned on each other and the division that’s being created is absolutely disgusting,” Neville said in the video. “Mainly created by angry middle-aged white men who know exactly what they’re doing.”
The Sky Sports pundit revealed he had “instantly” removed a Union Jack from one of his development sites, questioning why anyone would need to display the flag now when they had not done so in the previous 15 to 20 years. “It’s quite clearly sending a message to everybody that there is something you don’t like,” he claimed.
Neville described driving down Littleton Road in Salford and seeing “probably 50 or 60 Union Jack flags,” then comparing it to his journey on Bury New Road, where the Jewish community was “out in the streets, defiant, not hiding or in fear” following the attack.
Politicians and public condemn timing
Reform UK MP Lee Anderson accused the pundit of being “completely out of touch,” posting on social media: “I’ll tell you why; people feel threatened and feel they have not been listened to for decades. You had no problem in playing in front of the England flag. And the middle aged English men you talk about are the same type men that paid your wages. I believe in free speech but on this occasion just shut up.”
Reform UK Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire Dame Andrea Jenkyns also weighed in, writing: “The sneering by Gary Neville; he was happy for the ‘white men’ to pay his wages and buy his merchandise! He is Gary Lineker Mark Two.”
Barrie Taube, a Manchester businessman and synagogue security volunteer, thanked Neville for his solidarity but said he had missed the real issue. “The division is caused by antisemitic rhetoric, not by ‘middle-aged white men’. This is about hate speech and education,” he said.
Jewish professional Oli Kristall added: “The start of your video was great but then it turned into tackling a totally wrong issue. What have your views on flags got to do with targeted murders of Jews in Manchester?”
Boycott threats mount against Sky Sports
The backlash has been swift and severe, with football supporters threatening to cancel their Sky Sports subscriptions over Neville’s remarks. One viewer questioned online: “Really rate you as a pundit but Jesus Christ on a bike how the hell can you blame the likes of me for the sickening attack that was carried out by a terrorist.”
Another asked Sky Sports: “Is this the type of person you want representing your company? Really?”
Despite the mounting complaints, Sky Sports has reportedly decided not to discipline Neville for his controversial remarks. The broadcaster has yet to comment publicly on the matter.
Neville defends patriotism despite criticism
The former England international, who earned 85 caps for his country, defended his position by emphasising his patriotism. “I’ve played for my country 85 times, I love my country, I love Manchester and I love England,” Neville stated. “I’ve been building in this city for 15 to 20 years, and there’s no one put a union jack flag up in 15 to 20 years, so why do you need to put one up now?”
He added: “The Union Jack flag being used in a negative fashion is not right and I’m a proud supporter of England, of Great Britain, of our country and will champion it anywhere in the world as one of the greatest places to live. But I think we need to check ourselves, check ourselves and start to think about bringing ourselves back to a neutral point because we’re being pulled right and left and we don’t need to be pulled right and left at all.”
Neville also blamed Brexit for fuelling division, stating: “Brexit has had a devastating impact on this country and the messaging is getting dangerous, extremely dangerous. All these idiots that are out there spreading hate speech or abuse in any form, we must stop promoting them.”
Government minister offers partial support
Faith and Communities Minister Miatta Fahnbulleh agreed with Neville’s assessment that people are “trying to stoke tension” within the country, telling ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “Life is really tough for people across our communities. We’ve had a decade-and-a-half in which living standards haven’t budged and people have seen their communities held down. And you will get people trying to stoke division, trying to blame others, trying to stoke tension.”
The £400 million St Michael’s development
Neville’s St Michael’s project, run by his development company Relentless, began construction in 2022 with Domis Construction building Phase Two. The mixed-use scheme is scheduled for completion in 2027 and includes a 41-storey skyscraper containing 217 luxury apartments, a 162-room hotel operated by Marriott Group’s W brand, 185,000 square feet of office space, bars, restaurants and cafes.
The development also features the rooftop Chotto Matte restaurant with capacity for 900 guests and has preserved the historic Sir Ralph Abercromby pub following a substantial refurbishment. Law firms Pinsent Masons and Hill Dickinson have already signed deals for office space, with the scheme setting new headline rent records at £43 per square foot.
Pundit’s lucrative broadcasting career
Neville reportedly earns £1.1 million annually from Sky Sports, making him one of the highest-paid pundits in British football broadcasting. The property developer has built a business empire estimated to be worth around £100 million through his various property investments and hospitality ventures across Manchester.
As the controversy continues to unfold, the incident has reignited broader debates about patriotism, flag displays and freedom of expression in modern Britain, particularly in the context of rising community tensions and the ongoing discussion about national identity.
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