Sutton Flies The Flag

9.39.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 22nd Jun 2009

In celebration of the new Armed Forces Day, Sutton residents will fly a specially made flag today.

The 3'x5' pennant will be raised in Sutton Town Square at 10:30am, with members of the Royal British Legion and local cadet forces in attendance. This will coincide with similar events across the country, united by a national flag which will be raised at The Historic Dockyard in Chatham.

Bruno Peek, Pageantmaster, says the purpose of the week-long event is to honour 'Britain's Armed Forces past, present and future.'

Tom Brake, MP for Carshalton & Wallington, who will be attending the Flag-raising ceremony, wrote to Sutton Council to ask for the flag to be displayed, welcomed the festivities as a "demonstration of local people's support for our armed forces."

In April this year Tom spoke out for Gurkha settlement rights, presenting a petition signed by local residents which helped secure a historic victory for the British-Nepalese regiment. And as recently as last week he tabled an amendment to write into law guaranteed rights for the Gurkhas. His amendment was defeated by Labour MPs. Conservative MPs abstained.