EU referendum: Outrage over polling station 'looking like EDL rally' with St George bunting and England flags

A polling station has been ordered to take down England flags and bunting after voters raised fears they would act as a “dog whistle for the Leave campaign” in the EU referendum.

People arrived at the Mayfield Athletic Club, in London, on Thursday morning to find the patriotic display left up from Euro 2016 matches, as well as a large television showing news programmes.

Christopher Lewis said he thought the clubhouse in Palmers Green “looked like an EDL rally”.

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“There were flags everywhere,” he told The Independent. “I asked one of the officers why there were flags and the TV on and he just looked up and my girlfriend and I and gave a sly smile and said: ‘Oh, I didn’t notice that.’

“At that point I thought they had either deliberately not taken them down or put them up so I felt obligated to take a photo.”

Mr Lewis said he was aware of guidance cautioning against taking photos at polling stations, where capturing a person’s vote is a criminal offence, but needed to record the scene for a formal complaint.

“Can you imagine the outrage if they were EU flags?” he asked. “It might affect people who are undecided – it’s a dog whistle for the Leave campaign.”

The club was one of thousands of sites appropriated for the historic election on Britain’s membership of the European Union, which was expected to see a record turnout after polls showed opinions on a knife-edge.

Another polling station in Harrow was accused of “overt manipulation” for keeping up Union Flag bunting, balloons in red, white and blue, and a banner advertising a book on the Queen.

Some commenters claimed the displays violated the Electoral Commission’s handbook for polling station staff, which states that “any badges, slogans, or colours that might bring the impartiality of the polling station staff into question must not be worn”.

But others argued that the national flag could not be considered a political symbol or display of bias.

A spokesperson for the Electoral Commission told The Independent that the flags and keeping televisions on did not breach any restrictions.

“We have got in touch with Enfield Council to alert them and advise that it would best to take the flags down to prevent further concern by electors,” he said.

“There are no rules that this polling station are breaching having the TV on.

“Though we would advise against it and have already spoken to Enfield about this as there is a danger that something on the TV could be seen as promoting one side or the other.”

A spokesperson for Enfield Council said the sports club had been screening Euro 2016 football matches and that decorations had not been taken down in time for the start of polling day.

He added: “They were removed promptly this morning by Enfield Council staff.”

The Electoral Commission has previously issued warnings over taking photographs and selfies at polling stations.

Staff have been urged to put up signs banning photos, which are not illegal in themselves but can be if they breach Section 66 of the Representation of the People's Act, which makes it a criminal offence to communicate information about the way someone has voted or is about to vote - or to the unique identification number on a ballot paper.