Builders working for ‘unpatriotic’ Gary Neville ‘furious’ that he removed Union Jack flag
The flag was removed promptly, followed by mandatory “toolbox talks” for all staff explaining that no flags or political messages are permitted on site.
Gary Neville apparently linked the incident with the Raise the Colours movement (Image: GETTY)
Construction workers on Gary Neville‘s £400 million redevelopment project have voiced their anger after the former England footballer ordered the removal of a Union Jack flag from the site, while leaving foreign flags untouched. The incident apparently unfolded last week at the St Michael’s development in Manchester city centre, where Neville, 50, spotted the Union Jack flying on the fifth floor alongside a Moldovan flag and another from a different country.
Joiners from subcontractor, Domis Construction, had hoisted the flags as a gesture of camaraderie among the multinational workforce, a common practice on UK building sites. Neville, walking past the site, is understood to have immediately radioed the site manager demanding that the Union Jack be taken down, without reference to the other flags.
Gary Neville playing in the 2006 World Cup (Image: Getty)
The flag was removed promptly, followed by mandatory “toolbox talks” for all staff explaining that no flags or political messages are permitted on site.
One anonymous worker described the selective order as baffling. The joiner told the Daily Mail: “He only mentioned the Union Flag, not the other two – and said it had to come down.
“Obviously he is the boss, and we are not going to argue with him. But Union Flags are normally put on building sites. It happens all over the country. Gary Neville played for England, but he won’t let us put a flag up to celebrate the country where we live. It’s caused a lot of anger.”
The joiner continued: “People who work on construction sites are from all over the place, all different countries and we all get on really well.
“So there was no ill-meaning behind it. The lads were just putting flags up from where they are from. Everyone else can put their flags up so why can’t we?”
Neville addressed the episode in a LinkedIn video posted on Friday, framing it amid heightened national tensions. He explained: “Funnily enough, on one of my development sites last week, there was a Union Jack flag put up, and I took it down instantly.
“Some people might be watching this and thinking, ‘Gary you are not very patriotic’. I played for my country 85 times and love my country. I love Manchester and I love England.”
Neville continued: “But I have been building in this city for 15 or 20 years, and there has been no one put a Union Jack flag up in the last 15 or 20 years, so why do you need to put one up now?
“It is quite clearly sending a message to everybody that there is something you don’t like.”
Police officers walk towards the scene at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall (Image: PA)
He linked the decision to the “Operation Raise the Colours” campaign, which promotes flying England and Union flags from lamp posts and has ties to protests near asylum hotels.
The video came days after a horrific Yom Kippur attack on the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation in Greater Manchester, during which Islamist terrorist Jihad Al-Shamie killed two worshippers and injured three in a knife and car rampage.
Neville condemned what he called the “division that is being created is absolutely disgusting, mainly created by angry middle-aged white men who know exactly what they are doing”.
St Michael’s, spearheaded by Neville’s Relentless property firm since 2022, will deliver offices, apartments, a hotel, bars, restaurants and cafes by 2027.
Neville, a former Manchester United defender with an estimated £100 million property portfolio, is known for his left-leaning views and has faced “champagne socialist” jibes, though he insists he is a profit-driven capitalist.
Workers, bound by non-disclosure agreements, spoke out defying orders. One said: “Some are questioning who Gary Neville thinks he is to tell them what flags they can put up in their place of work.”
Social media backlash has been swift, with calls for Neville’s sacking as a Sky Sports pundit. Reform UK MP Lee Anderson, posting on X, described the defender as “completely out of touch”.
Express.co.uk has contacted Neville, Relentless and Domis for comment; none had responded at time of publication.
