Is there a more patriotic MP than Andrew Rosindell? When he's not campaigning to keep Gibraltar British... When he's not campaigning for a proper celebration of St George's Day... When he's not campaigning for a national holiday to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee... When he's not doing those things he is campaigning for three Union flags to fly across Parliament all year round. At the moment just one flag is flown from the Victoria Tower of Parliament but not from the other two flagpoles.
And he has now won that campaign thanks to the Speaker, John Bercow.
This is Hansard from Wednesday:
Andrew Rosindell: "On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Further to my point of order on 12 November 2008 to Speaker Martin, my subsequent point of order on 12 November this year, to your good self, Sir, and my general comments and remarks over the eight and a half years that I have been a Member regarding the flying of the Union flag-the flag of our country-from the flagpoles on the parliamentary estate, will you now give a progress report and explain what is going to happen in the future on this matter?"
John Bercow: "I am grateful to the hon. Member for Romford (Andrew Rosindell) for his point of order and, indeed, for giving me advance notice of it, and I am very happy to provide the progress report that he seeks. He should be aware and the House is now informed that the Chair of the Administration Committee wrote to me on 25 November to inform me that
"the Administration Committee considered a paper from the Parliamentary Director of Estates on flag flying on the Parliamentary Estate."
Following a discussion of this important matter, the Committee agreed to recommend to me that
"flags should be flown on all three flagpoles on the Estate every day of the year, taking account of the usual ceremonial occasions."
The Chair of the Administration Committee, the hon. Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Doran), helpfully pointed out to me in the letter:
"This would bring Parliament into line with other Whitehall departments. In the case of the Victoria Tower, agreement would be necessary with the House of Lords."
I wrote back to the hon. Gentleman on 30 November, agreeing to his recommendations, including those relating to shape, dimensions and a change to "three by five", which I know will be of close interest to the House. I hope that the hon. Member for Romford feels a proper sense of triumph at what he has achieved in this matter, which he has, as he indicated, pursued over a lengthy period with, if I may say, a tenacity reminiscent of a Staffordshire bull terrier."
Tim Montgomerie