THE Union Flag will fly at council offices across Oxfordshire on Prince Andrew’s birthday this year, but only because it is raised every other day of the year.

Earlier this week, Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson said the British flag would not fly in the city on the prince’s birthday due to his association with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

This followed reports that the government had asked councils across the UK to fly the flag on Wednesday, February 19 to mark the Duke of York’s 60th birthday.

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Three of the six councils in Oxfordshire: Cherwell, West Oxfordshire, and the county council, have all said they will be flying the flag on that date, but not in connection with the duke’s birthday.

Instead, they will fly the flag because it is standard practice to fly it 'every working day of the year'.

Oxford’s city council will not be flying the flag because it does not follow the same protocol as for government buildings and has its own protocol.

The council will be flying the Oxford flag at town hall as well as the LGBT History Month flag.

Oxford City Council has raised the flags of its European twin cities all this week to mark its commitment to them since the UK left the EU on January 31.

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South and Vale district councils, which share a headquarters, said new government guidance had been issued since the furore over raising the flag on the prince’s birthday.

According to the Guardian, the government is set to change its policy today after the backlash about flying the flag on Prince Andrew's birthday.

The government is now apparently advising councils there is no need to fly the flag on February 19, since the Duke has taken a step back from his public duties.

South and Vale were awaiting confirmation of this decision.