Liam Walker, a Conservative councillor in Oxfordshire, told The Telegraph: “With the World Cup now under way and communities across the country coming together to support their national teams, many residents will question whether this is really the right time to be escalating matters further through the courts.
“Whatever people’s views on this underlying issue about flags on lampposts, taxpayers are entitled to ask how much this entire process is costing.
“At a time when local authorities are under immense financial pressure and residents are seeing services stretched, there must be full transparency about the total cost of this action and who will ultimately be footing the bill.”
Kevin Hollinrake, the Conservative Party chairman, called for the council to “get off their virtue-signalling high horse”.
He added: “We should be unashamedly proud of our national identity. The Union Jack and the flag of St George both unite our nation, so it is shameful that the Liberal Democrats are turning their backs on these important symbols.
“People should be encouraged to show their patriotism, not lectured out of it. The Lib Dems need to get off their virtue-signalling high horse and get behind our flag.”
Robert Jenrick, Reform UK’s economy spokesman and the former Tory shadow justice secretary, hoisted Union Flags in his Newark constituency in support of the Raise the Colours movement last summer.