This was raised by Dan Rogerson MP during a Westminster Parliamentary debate on the proposed VAT ‘pasty tax’ on Wednesday this week.
“When the last runner with the Olympic flame left Cornwall and set off across the Tamar Bridge, he held in his hands a Cornish flag that was sadly confiscated by the police who were running alongside. Despite a helpful policeman initially carrying the flag with Mr Ball, his colleague clearly received instructions to remove it.
“This incident has understandably sparked anger across the Duchy. To many in Cornwall, this sends out a signal that English, Welsh or Scottish identity is fine, but that Cornish identity is not to be accepted by the London-based Olympic authorities.
“I have written today to Seb Coe, the Chairman of the LOCOG (the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games) about the incident. As a former Cornish MP I am sure he will agree with me that Andrew Ball and the people of Cornwall quite rightly deserve an apology.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
A video of the ‘flag grab’ can be seen on the ‘An Helghyer’ blog site:
http://anhelghyer.wordpress.com/2012/05/23/flag-grab/
Paul Edgeworth
Parliamentary Assistant | Darbarer Senedhek
Office of Dan Rogerson MP
Liberal Democrat MP for North Cornwall | ES Livrel Weriniethor a-barth Kernow Gledh
House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA | Chi an Gemmynyon, Loundres, SW1A 0AA
Telephone: 020 7219 4707 | Pellgowser: 020 7219 4707
www.danrogerson.org<http://www.danrogerson.org/>
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