Row over display of flag for Prince Andrew ‘can be resolved’

Cllr Kingston, the DUP group leader on the council, was commenting following a SDLP proposal that the Union flag should not be flown on February 19.

In light of the controversy over Prince Andrew’s links to Jeffrey Epstein – and the Queen’s decision to effectively end his status as a working royal – it had been argued at a council meeting on Friday that it would be inappropriate for the flag to be flown in his honour.

At a meeting of the council’s Strategic Policy and Resources Committee the DUP councillors opposed the SDLP motion which had the support of Alliance and Sinn Fein.

SDLP councillor Donal Lyons said he was “more than happy” to move the designated day allocated to Andrew to another date, so the flag is flown the same number of times.

The DUP later said its decision was based on the fact that the flying of flags on designated days was a matter for Parliament at Westminster

In a statement at the time, Cllr Kingston said: “We’re certainly not blind to the allegations of gross misconduct by Prince Andrew and we share in the deep concern about these, but we should await the outcome of the trial.”

On Monday, Cllr Lyons said he welcomed “the DUP’s U-turn” on his proposal and that “common sense had prevailed”.

Cllr Kingston rejected a claim, made by Cllr Donal Lyons, that the SDLP had approached his party with alternative date proposals ahead of Friday’s committee meeting.

“That is not the actions of a party or an individual seeking to build consensus on a sensitive issue,” Cllr Kingston said.

“In the interests of openness and transparency it would be interesting to hear which parties he did communicate with in advance.

“Had Donal bothered to contact us in advance of that meeting then I’ve no doubt that problems could have been avoided.”

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