A Labour council leader is under fire after claiming St George flag campaigners were “nonces”. Jeremy Newmark, the Labour leader of Hertsmere borough council, Hertfordshire, described Operation Raise the Colours as “an attempt by a bunch of criminals, extremists [and] nonces to hijack our national flag”. Operation Raise the Colours is a political campaign that involves displaying the Union Flag and St George’s Cross in public places. Advertisement AdvertisementAdvertisement AdvertisementAfter Cllr Newmark’s comments, Hertsmere borough council’s Conservative Group has called on him to resign immediately as leader of the council and leader of the Labour Group. The Conservative Group has since written directly to Cllr Newmark, whose Lab-Lib coalition has governed Hertsmere since 2023.