EXCLUSIVE

by Gerry Warren and Joe Walker

Canterbury, Whitstable and Herne Bay cabbies have been banned from flying the flag for England during the World Cup by killjoy officials at the city council, the Gazette exclusively revealed on Thursday.

The drivers say they have been threatened with having their licences suspended if they breach strict rules about the appearance of their vehicles.

In Herne Bay, some drivers are threatening to defy the ban.

The council claims the ban is for health and safety reasons, but the taxi drivers suspect it is because of a misguided belief that it would upset racial minorities.

This week, the Gazette is launching its Fly the Flag campaign to encourage people to ignore the ban and stand up and be proud of their country.

Canterbury cabbie Colin Mitchell recently fell foul of the council when he tried to fly the flag of St George to celebrate St George’s Day.

He said: "I was told in no uncertain terms that I would be taken off the road if I did, which seemed over the top.

"The World Cup only comes around once every four years, so I would have thought it was a special case.

"We only want to fly a little flag from our aerials or have a little sticker to show our support."

Council licensing chief Roger Vick said the rules governing the appearance of taxis were in place for health and safety reasons and nothing to do with offending racial minorities.

See this week's Kentish Gazette and Herne Bay Gazettes for the full story.

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