Welsh National Flag And Eurovision

EDM number 1440 in 2015-16, proposed by Jonathan Edwards on 03/05/2016.
Categorised under the topics of Broadcasting, Cultural heritage and Performing arts.

That this House notes with deep regret the decision of Eurovision organisers to ban the use of the Welsh flag at the annual contest in Stockholm on 7 May 2016, giving the grounds that it is too political and offensive; further notes that Joe Woolford representing the UK is from Ruthin, Wales; notes that the decision to ban the Welsh national flag has been made by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), an alliance of Public Service Media consisting of 73 members; notes the EBU statement that says that all 42 participating broadcasters agreed on the policy; notes that the BBC is a full member of the EBU and a participating broadcaster; notes the deep offence this decision has caused to the people of Wales as a proud European nation; calls for an urgent review of the policy before the event on 7 May; calls on the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to make urgent representations to the EBU and BBC; and further calls on the BBC to make an urgent statement on why it has agreed on this policy of banning the Welsh national flag at the Eurovision song contest and to apologise to the people of Wales.

This motion has been signed by a total of 5 MPs.