IT is, we are told, guidelines circulated by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on the flying of the Union flag on public buildings that have led to Burnley Council's refusal to hoist it above the town hall in support of our troops in Iraq.

Nor will they allow it to fly over the town hall at Padiham -- despite every councillor there voting in favour of local soldier's mum Marion Smith plea.

But, it turns out, the Department says it has not made any ruling about flying the flag during the Iraqi war and the decision was up to Burnley Council.

Well, we know what the decision was. And in view of the Department kicking the ball back into the council's court, people may draw their own conclusions as to the reasons for it.

But one that can clearly be ruled out is Burnley's ruling Labour group being out to win the votes of the majority of people who do support our troops out there -- whether or not they liked the idea of going to war to begin with.

Yet, isn't this an amazing lack of political gumption by Labour -- and on the brink of local elections in which the British National Party is standing in 13 of Burnley's 15 wards?

"Vote for us -- the party that doesn't back our boys," is the slogan they have as good as coined. It never ceases to amaze me how Labour keeps on doing the flag-waving BNP favours through its fear of responding to the majority.