We asked for your views on flying the European flag – and boy, did we open the flood gates.

Our story about senior Conservatives on Canterbury City Council, Tony Austin and Peter Lee, saying they will not fly the European flag more than once a year really sparked a reaction.

You responded by taking part in our Speak Out and by voting in our online poll.

Carl Taylor, who gave his address as England, said in his Speak Out comments: “The EU flag as far as I am concerned stands for slavery to the great EU-uber state. I shall always fly the one that means the most to me – the George Cross.”

Derek George, from Margate, shows his feelings for the EU flag with the comment: “I keep an EU flag near the bathroom........you never know when you will run out of toilet paper!!”

And Neil Bailey, from Herne Bay, says the Union Flag should be flown at public buildings all year round, together with the St George’s flag, and adds: “We are too prone to giving up our national identity in this country and should not be ashamed of promoting Britain.”

Linda Clegg, of Westgat-on Sea, had an emphatic no to flying the EU flag. She says: “I am English, not British, and as such want to see our own English flag flying at all times, not the European flag. I will never consider myself European!”

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The opposing view came from Jim and Jenny Hassett, from Faversham, who say: “I see the 'fog in channel, continent cut off’ mentality is still alive and kicking.”

They add: “So Cllr Tony Austin and Cllr Peter Lee be proud to be British, but be thankful to the EU and its founding fathers for the peace of the last 60 years within the European Community.”

Robbie Craig, of Dungeness, believes the EU flag should be flown alongside the Union flag as “we are a European nation and are all Europeans.”

And Michael Steed, of Canterbury, says: “Most European cities have no difficulty in flying sets of flags which show local, national and European allegiances reinforcing each other. I am sorry to hear how narrow-minded some so-called English patriots sound.”

There is still time to add your views to our Speak Out and to vote in our online poll which asks if you consider yourself British or European.