We all need to calm down about flags, says Nicola Sturgeon

At-a-glance

The former First Minister said she was taken aback by the number of Scottish flags on lampposts in Aberdeen, calling it ‘unusual’
Sturgeon urged people to ‘get less worked up about flags’, saying they don’t define a country’s image
She said she suspected the flag displays are linked to anti-immigration sentiment, rather than a celebration of Scotland
Sturgeon warned that Nigel Farage becoming Prime Minister would be ‘terrible’ for people across the UK, despite the boost it could give to Scottish independence

Nicola Sturgeon has called for people to “calm down about flags”, after expressing surprise at the number of Saltires on lampposts.

The former First Minister appeared on STV’s Good Morning Britain where she was quizzed by presenter Susanna Reid over her reaction to the sight of Scottish flags being raised around Aberdeen.

Sturgeon said the display “took me a little bit by surprise” and said she suspected the national symbol wasn’t being flown on lampposts “to spread that sort of positive view of Scotland”.

But Sturgeon insisted she wasn’t casting aspersions on those flying the flag but said she understood they were being raised to make points on” immigration and the levels of immigration”.

Anti-immigration campaign groups have raised flags as part of a UK-wide protest called “Raise the Colours”, coinciding with demonstrations against housing asylum seekers in hotels.

Councils across Scotland, including Aberdeenshire and Falkirk, said workers have faced abuse while attempting to detach Saltires from street lights.

“I’ve never been that into flags,” she said.

“I think we should get less worked up about flags. They don’t have personalities of their own. They will portray a good image of a country if that country has a good image and vice versa.

“I think if we all just calm down a little bit about flags.”

She said she thought people should “worry more about living standards, the state of our public services – all these things that I had responsibility for when I was first minister – and probably get worked up a little bit less about where and why flags are flying”.

‘Farage would be prime minister in election today’

Sturgeon said she thought that if there was an election today or tomorrow, Nigel Farage would be elected prime minister of the UK.

Presenter Ed Balls suggested that a Reform victory would supercharge the break-up of the UK and Scottish independence and asked the former SNP leader if that was a good thing.

“People have said to me, all throughout my political career, ‘if this really bad thing happens, that’ll be good for independence, so you must want this really bad thing to happen’ – That’s not the way my mind works.”

Sturgeon said she “really, really” hoped that Farage doesn’t become prime minister, regardless of the impact on Scottish independence.

“I think the impact on ordinary people right across the UK would be terrible,” Sturgeon said.

“The good news is that the election is not tomorrow, and I think it’s incumbent on politicians of the progressive left to recognise the real problems people are living with right now and offer better solutions based on hope and inclusion and equality, and take on Nigel Farage and beat what he stands for.

“That’s what I hope will happen over the next few years.”