A NUMBER of Conservative MPs wore Union flag pins during Prime Minister's Questions today.
MPs often wear badges or pins to represent charities or organisations marking national days of interest and awareness campaigns.
Why are Tory MPs wearing Union Jack badges?
September 3 marks Merchant Navy Day, with the RMT encouraging people to fly or wear the red ensign – the flag flown by British merchant ships.
The day commemorates the sinking of the SS Athenia and honours the 46,000 merchant seafarers who were killed in both world wars.
The badges worn by the MPs does not appear to be the red ensign. The Conservatives have been contacted for clarification on the cause for the badges.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp and other frontbench Tories sported the pins on their lapels on Wednesday.
It comes amid a sudden wave of flag-flying across the UK, in which far-right agitators have been encouraging people to fly Union, St George's Cross and Saltire flags as part of a campaign called "Operation Raise the Colours".
The flags are being flown as a symbol of anti-migrant sentiment, having been sparked by protests outside of hotels housing asylum seekers.
The ongoing row has seen Keir Starmer defend the flag.
Starmer told BBC Radio 5 Live this week: “I am supporter of flags.”
He added: “I am the leader of the Labour Party who put the Union Jack on our Labour Party membership cards. I always sit in front of the Union Jack. I’ve been doing it for years, and it attracted a lot of comment when I started doing it.”
The Prime Minister also said his family has “got St George’s flag in our flat” in Downing Street.
