What’s after flag flying? Will schoolchildren be ordered to sing the national anthem?

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It will soon be required for the union jack to be flown on official buildings every day, and planning permission might soon be necessary to fly the EU flag (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Why this obsession by the present government with flags and how they should be flown? As commented on by Vince Cable, in the article Elevating the union jack to religious status risks more division. A flag is just a piece of material and how high the pole should be, or in what order flags should be flown, seems largely irrelevant. One flag of a particular pattern might be deemed sufficient. As for the suggestion that planning permission is necessary to fly the flag of Europe on public buildings? Don't make me laugh. There could be no grounds for refusal of planning permission since the flag predates the European Union, having been adopted in 1955 by the Council of Europe, of which the UK is a member. The stars do not represent states, but are a symbol of peace, harmony and the pursuance of human rights by all 47 member nations. The flag was licensed for use by the EEC (later EU) in 1985.

What next? Will all schoolchildren next be ordered to sing to the flag every morning?

Colin Hayward

Fareham

Unaffordable travel

Ardent Brexit supporters must be very pleased to hear the comments from Johan Lundgren, easyJet chief executive, who said that due to the cost of PCR tests many people will not be able to afford international travel: inadvertently one part of their plan to return us to the 1930s has been achieved.

Robert Boston

Kent

Covid denier

I find it absolutely extraordinary that Helena Morrissey, the Tory peer who claims Covid is a myth, is set to retain her job. To deny that the virus exists is deeply sinister. Indeed, the deadly disease has killed 3 million people worldwide in just over a year. Given its high death rate, Covid ought to be treated with the utmost severity. Failing to sack someone with such utterly appalling, offensive and dangerous views will send a terrible message to the nation.

It will be a smack in the face to the 1.1 million suffering from long Covid in the UK, and a punch in the gut to those who knew one of the 150,000 who have, thus far, died from Covid in this country. Boris Johnson allowed Priti Patel to remain as home secretary despite bullying. Now, a Tory peer spreading misinformation is to go unpunished. Boris Johnson and his administration are clearly unconcerned with moral decency. He is clearly uninterested in the corrosive effects of his actions. 

Sebastian Monblat

London

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Pub tests

Your report quotes shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth as saying that while it “makes sense” to ask people to take a test before going to events such as a football match, “we don’t think asking you to produce a vaccination passport, which is this digital ID card, is fair”. 

So how will they prove they have had a test if not by showing some sort of certificate at the entrance?

Opponents of the certification scheme also seem to forget that young adults have to produce ID in order to drink in a pub already and the last time I looked it didn't seem to be affecting the drinks trade? Maybe they should be grateful for such a scheme, which will make some of us feel safer venturing into a pub. 

G Forward 

Stirling 

Vaccine fanfares

I’ve recently had my second AstraZeneca jab and feel very grateful that the NHS (not the government) has masterminded this mammoth national undertaking.

However, your report ‘Get your jab’: Boris Johnson stresses the safety of AstraZeneca vaccine produces in me the opposite of what Johnson intends. After more than a year of over-promising and under-achieving on almost every aspect of handling this epidemic, with no apologies, the PM’s fanfares are counter-productive.

His hubris prevents him from facing facts.

Eddie Dougall

Bury St Edmunds