The following is the text of a press release issued by the Rt. Hon. David Jones M.P. on 5 May 2016.
JONES: RED DRAGON BAN DISGRACEFUL
Westminster, 5 May, 2016
Clwyd West MP, David Jones, today slammed the organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest for banning Wales’s Red Dragon flag from the competition studio, despite Ruthin’s Joe Woolford being one of the UK’s representatives.
Speaking on BBC TV’s Daily Politics, David Jones said that the Welsh flag was being ‘lumped in’ with the flags of the Daesh terrorist group, and politically contentious places such as Northern Cyprus.
The ban, according to the Contest’s organisers, is intended to exclude ‘political statements and offensive comments’. However, David Jones pointed out that the flag of the EU, which is not a state, was going to be displayed. ‘Given the imminence of the referendum in Britain, it is hard to think of a more political symbol than the EU flag,’ he said.
David Jones has tabled a written question to Culture Secretary, John Whittingdale, asking what representations his Department is making to the Contest organisers about the ban on the Welsh flag.
‘It is disgraceful that the Song Contest is banning the display of one of the United Kingdom’s national flags,’ said Mr Jones.
‘I am sure Joe Woolford would love to see the Red Dragon on display in Stockholm.
‘I hope the Contest organisers have a serious re-think and allow our national emblem to take its place with the flags of the other contestant nations.’
A BBC news story about the matter can be found here.
