A Labour mayor in Derbyshire is facing mounting pressure to resign after allegedly being caught on CCTV removing a flag bearing patriotic symbols from a lamppost. Colin Bailey, who serves as Mayor of Ripley Town Council, was reportedly filmed taking down what witnesses describe as either an England flag or a Remembrance Day flag from a Derbyshire County Council street lamp.
The incident has sparked fierce political controversy, with Reform UK leader Alan Graves, who heads Derbyshire County Council, leading calls for Bailey’s immediate resignation. The confrontation represents the latest flashpoint in the ongoing national debate over patriotic flag displays across Britain’s towns and cities.
“Labour continue to show their true colours,” Councillor Graves declared in a strongly-worded statement. “It is extremely disappointing that the Labour mayor of Ripley has taken it upon himself to pull down this show of pride and patriotism.”
The Reform UK leader, who has previously defended the right of residents to display national flags on public infrastructure, added: “If he had any sense of integrity, he would resign. Our flags are not just a sign of unity and inclusion, but also of national pride.”
Graves emphasised his commitment to protecting flag displays, stating: “I will always protect the rights of Brits to display our own flag in our own country. It’s a shame that Labour seem hell-bent on erasing British identity.”
The alleged incident comes amid heightened tensions surrounding the nationwide “Operation Raise the Colours” movement, which has seen thousands of Union Jack and St George’s flags appear on lampposts, bridges and flyovers across the country. The grassroots campaign has encouraged patriotic displays in public spaces, though it has proven divisive in many communities.
Ripley Town Council moved quickly to distance itself from Bailey’s alleged actions, issuing a carefully-worded statement that stopped short of naming the mayor directly but was later confirmed by council officials to refer to him.
“Ripley Town Council has been made aware of a social media post which shows an incident involving a Town councillor,” the council statement read. “This incident was not conducted under official council business and is not endorsed or encouraged by the Town Council.”
The authority acknowledged the community impact, adding: “We understand that the conduct displayed has upset some members of the community.”
When pressed by reporters, council representatives confirmed the statement specifically referred to Councillor Bailey, though they declined to provide further details about potential disciplinary proceedings or whether formal complaints had been lodged.
Bailey, who was first elected to Ripley Town Council in May 2023, currently serves as the town’s mayor for the 2024/2025 term. According to his official biography, he moved to Nether Heage in 2017 and holds a HND in Amenity Horticulture and a Post Graduate degree in Management.
The controversy adds to the complex political landscape in Ripley, where the current mayor is actually Councillor Lyndsay Cox, who was elected to the position at the Annual Meeting on 21 May 2024. Bailey serves as deputy mayor, though confusion about titles has added to the controversy surrounding the incident.
The flag removal allegation has reignited broader debates about patriotic displays and their place in modern Britain. The Operation Raise the Colours movement has seen communities divided over whether such displays represent legitimate patriotic expression or carry more controversial undertones.
Some councils across the country have taken action to remove unauthorised flags citing safety concerns and legal requirements under the Highways Act, which prohibits attachments to street furniture without permission. Others, particularly those led by Conservative or Reform UK administrations, have allowed the flags to remain.
The timing of the alleged incident is particularly sensitive given ongoing national debates about British identity and patriotism. Reform UK has positioned itself as a defender of traditional British values and symbols, frequently criticising what it characterises as attempts by other parties to downplay national pride.
Labour’s national leadership has attempted to reclaim patriotic symbolism in recent years, with Sir Keir Starmer regularly appearing with Union Jack flags during his tenure as party leader. However, tensions remain at local level over how to balance patriotic expression with community cohesion concerns.
The incident in Ripley reflects these wider tensions. The town, located in Amber Valley, Derbyshire, has its own complex relationship with flags and civic identity. Derbyshire itself has an official county flag, created in 2006 following a BBC Radio Derby campaign, which features a green cross on a blue background with a Tudor rose at its centre.
Local residents have expressed mixed reactions to the controversy. Some support the mayor’s alleged action if it involved removing an unauthorised attachment to public property, while others view it as an attack on legitimate patriotic expression.
The distinction between different types of flags has also proven contentious, with initial reports unclear whether the removed flag was a St George’s Cross, a Union Jack, or a Remembrance-related display. Each carries different symbolic weight and removing a Remembrance flag in particular would be seen as especially controversial given the approaching commemorations.
Reform UK has seized upon the incident as evidence of what it claims is Labour’s disconnect from patriotic British voters. The party has consistently advocated for the protection of flag displays and has criticised councils that have removed them.
Meanwhile, Labour representatives have largely remained silent on the specific incident, though the party nationally has sought to present itself as patriotic while opposing what some members characterise as divisive nationalism.
The controversy comes at a sensitive time for local politics in Derbyshire, where control is split between different parties at various levels of local government. Derbyshire County Council is led by Reform UK’s Alan Graves, while individual town and district councils have their own political compositions.
Bailey’s position as mayor may now be under scrutiny, though any formal proceedings would need to follow established council procedures. Ripley Town Council has indicated it will investigate formal complaints about councillors’ conduct if they are submitted in writing.
The incident has also raised questions about the appropriate use of CCTV footage and social media in local political disputes. The original allegation appears to have emerged through social media posts showing CCTV footage, though the full context and timing of the recording remain unclear.
As the controversy continues to unfold, it serves as a microcosm of broader national debates about identity, patriotism and the role of traditional symbols in modern Britain. Whether Bailey will face formal consequences or choose to respond to resignation calls remains to be seen.
The council has not announced any immediate meetings to discuss the matter, though pressure from opposition politicians and some residents may force the issue onto future agendas. For now, Ripley finds itself at the centre of a national conversation about flags, identity and political leadership.
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