The vote on the flag followed a summer of heightened tensions between Northern Ireland's Catholic and Protestant communities.

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The vote on the Union flag followed a summer of heightened tensions between Northern Ireland's Catholic and Protestant communities.

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In a statement, the Alliance Party said it was standing firmly behind its policy of flying the union flag at council headquarters on designated days and was called for the Northern Ireland Executive to legislate for this as a requirement for all councils.

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He said the flag at the Northern Ireland Assembly building should be flown at half-mast on the day of her funeral and books of condolence opened "across Northern Ireland".

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MPs have been debating the Northern Ireland Secretary of State's proposals to deal with the contentious issue of flag flying in the province.

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He said he wanted those angry about the flag decision to support the legal challenges and his promises of a campaign to re-assert British cultural identity within Northern Ireland.

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"That leadership is that Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom and a considerable number of people want the Union flag to be flown in a respectful and orderly way, " he said.

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