“Taxi-man gets red card over England badge” (The Press, December 13). HERE we have yet another illustration of the craven attitude officialdom adopts to any display of national pride.

What excuse did John Lacy, the council’s licensing manager, trot out to justify this ludicrous chastising of taxi driver Gary Hannigan, who displayed a badge which is readily associated with this country’s (England) football team?

“A licensing officer politely reminded one driver of our licensing policy in relation to advertising etc, etc…”.

Just what, exactly, was Mr Hannigan advertising? There was no slogan on the badge, no garish promises, nothing at all except the one word, “England”. So how can this single word be remotely construed as advertising?

Or could it be that Mr Lacy and his fellow licensing officers are caught up in the “mustn’t-cause-offence-to-anyone” syndrome so endemic these days? Unfortunately, this is part of the general malaise affecting officialdom in this country whereby we, the down-trodden British public, must not show patriotism of any kind, lest it causes offence.

Philip Roe, Roman Avenue South, Stamford Bridge.