A Palestinian flag flying over Tower Hamlets council has been removed after criticism from communities minister Brandon Lewis.

Mayor Lutfur Rahman said he raised the flag at the town hall yesterday in a show of ‘solidarity with Gaza’.

However a tweet sent by Tower Hamlets Police this morning confirmed the flag had been removed.

In a statement, Rahman said: ‘ 'I took the decision to fly the Palestinian flag from Tower Hamlets Town Hall as a humanitarian gesture of solidarity with the victims of the Gaza crisis.

'The decision was taken after many local residents raised concerns at the recent escalation of violence in Gaza where over 1,300 people have been killed, most of them women and children. I call on the Prime Minister to take decisive diplomatic action to help bring this unnecessary violence to an end by using our nation’s expertise in conflict resolution.

'Conflicts in other parts of the world can have an impact locally and in Tower Hamlets our message to residents of many backgrounds has consistently been about respecting our differences and valuing our similarities.

'Some have suggested that raising the Palestinian flag is to take sides however my decision was in solidarity with civilian Palestinian victims and I share the view of the UN that these civilians have been unfairly and disproportionately targeted. Sometimes politicians need to take a stand in the face of injustice and needless suffering and that is what I am doing.'

Lewis said the actions of Tower Hamlets had been ‘a clear political statement on an area of public policy which the municipal body has no responsibility’.

‘The advice of the Government is the United Kingdom’s Union flag should always fly in superior position on public bodies’ primary flag pole.

‘From time to time, especially if there are other flag poles, councils may wish to fly other local and national flags of the United Kingdom – for example, a local county flag, the Armed Forces Day flag, or the Cross of St George or similar to mark a saints’ day.’

The council came under fire for raising the flag, with group YadBYadUK – which supports people affected by anti-Semitism – suggesting the move was ‘incitement’ and ‘a danger to the Jewish community’.

Both Preston Council and Bradford Council have taken the decision to fly the Palestinian flag in recent days.