THE European Union flag will be flown by Oxford City Council on the day the UK leaves the EU.

The authority’s executive board agreed the plan at a meeting on Wednesday, in defiance of the result of the referendum held in June 2016.

At that time, 70 per cent of people in Oxford said they wanted to remain part of the EU.

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Susan Brown, the council’s leader, said: “[The council will be] flying the EU flag to mark the fact that we would rather like to remain in the EU, thank you very much, in this city.”

The flag will be flown from a mast above the town hall’s 1930s extension.

A large mast above the main entrance to the town hall in St Aldates is always used to fly the council’s own flag.

The authority also has a third mast on Carfax Tower which is used to fly the Union Flag on national occasions. The Cross of St George is flown on St George’s Day.

Oxford Mail:

The executive board also agreed to fly flags marking its support for the Oxford Living Wage, which it runs and promotes, and disability awareness.

Four of Oxfordshire’s five districts voted to remain in the EU in the June 2016 referendum. Cherwell was the only one which voted to leave.

Oxford City Council overwhelmingly voted in favour of a People’s Vote in July.

At the time, Ms Brown abstained from voting. Green Party group leader Craig Simmons said Brexit negotiations at that time had ‘alienated both remainers and Brexiteers’.

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Yesterday afternoon, it remained unclear whether the UK will leave the EU as originally planned on March 29, at a later date or at all.

On Wednesday, MPs voted to rule out a no-deal Brexit in a non-binding vote.

And the Government had tabled a motion to seek a one-off extension to delay Brexit to June 30 .

But further votes on prime minister Theresa May’s deal might still follow.