Kemi Badenoch today says town halls taking down English flags are fuelling racial division.
After a week that has seen the flag of St George removed from lamp posts, the Tory leader took aim at councils clashing with residents.
She says there is 'nothing racist about flying the flag of your nation' and 'nothing extreme' about feeling pride for the country.
And she warns that Labour councils trying to stop the campaign of patriotic flag-flying across the country are wrongly sending a message to ethnic minorities that the flag is not for them.
Writing in today's Daily Mail, Mrs Badenoch attacks the local authorities for their 'double standards' after they allowed Palestinian banners to be displayed, as well as marking other countries' independence days and lighting up buildings for Black Lives Matter.
