Councillor Joanna Wright, leader of the Green Group of councillors on Bath and North East Somerset Council, has shared her prepared statement following its omission from the full council meeting on 21 November 2024. The statement, which provides an update on the Green Party’s Peace Motion passed in July 2024 and highlights the importance of flying the UN flag as a symbol of global solidarity, was excluded by the chair due to time constraints, without prior consultation. The statement is as follows:
Unanimously, this Council passed the Peace Motion in July.
Unanimously, we voted for a ceasefire in Gaza to halt violence, allow the release of hostages, and to create space for dialogue and lasting peace.
Unanimously, we affirmed our commitment to combat discrimination, condemn dehumanising language, and foster respectful conversation within our community.
Unanimously, we agreed to fly the UN flag, as a sign of commitment to justice and peace.
The UN flag is more than just a symbol; against a blue backdrop, it bears a white map of the world encircled by olive branches, reminding us that peace knows no borders. This emblem calls on every nation, every community, and every individual to unite for a common purpose: peace.
When the BathNES Green Group requested dates of four separate weeks over a calendar year to fly the UN Peace flag, we were told by the Leader of Council that only one week was to be permitted.
Further, no press release has shared the purchase of the UN flag, the decision to fly it, the Council’s letter to David Lammy MP, or even the week was chosen for display. In fact, the letter to David Lammy—intended to represent this whole Council—was kept from many of us until we specifically requested to see it.
Basic updates like these should have been shared with councillors and the public.
Instead, we’ve had to track down details ourselves.
This lack of transparency raises concerns about how our Council conducts its business.
What should have been a powerful, united message of peace and justice has instead been undermined by delays, obstacles, and a lack of openness from the BathNES Liberal Democrat administration—actions that seem at odds with Liberal Democrat values.
In an email I received from Wera Hobhouse, MP for Bath, she stated:
“Liberal Democrats believe that these steps [laid out in the Peace Motion] are crucial to ensuring a lasting peace in the region based upon two-states, which will deliver the dignity and security that Israelis and Palestinians deserve.”
The war in Gaza is having a particularly devastating impact on women and children. Recent reports reveal that 15,000 children missed out on life-saving polio vaccines because medical staff cannot safely reach them. This tragic reality highlights the terrible human cost of the conflict, leaving children at risk simply because they can’t get the basic health care they need.
Peace is not a one-week affair. It is an ongoing commitment that must be reflected in our actions every day. This Council unanimously passed a Peace Motion, and the Guildhall should honour that decision by flying the UN flag for more than just one week.