A CHESHIRE MP has welcomed the decision to ditch the controversial pink and purple rebrand of the Union Jack on the Team GB kit.

Esther McVey had slammed the proposal to drop the traditional red, white and blue colours in favour of a new woke design.

The Tatton MP had joined tens of thousands of people across the country to slam the contentious move.

The British Olympic Association has now announced it would stick with the traditional flag on all Team GB kit.

Ms McVey said she was delighted common sense has prevailed but repeated her criticism of the organisation for tampering with the country’s ‘cherished flag’.

Ms McVey said: “I cannot imagine what possessed someone at the British Olympic Association to think the flag needed changing.

“It is universally recognised and I for one am very proud of it and wish organisations would leave it alone.

“It was obvious to me there was going to be public backlash.

“We have seen all this before when British Airways tried and failed to change the flag many years ago.

“People need to leave the flag alone. It is a source of identity and people rightly take immense pride in it.”

Designers from Thisaway created new merchandise ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The Bath-based design and marketing agency said they needed to find a way to ‘refresh’ the colour palette in a way that was both ‘flexible and ownable’.

The row over Team GB’s kit is the latest in a series of controversies surrounding the flag.

Nike came under fire for changing the St George’s Cross flag on the collar of the England football shirt for both its male and female teams.

Labour leader Keir Starmer found himself embroiled in a patriotism row after some of his MPs wanted to axe the flag on election literature.

Ms McVey added: “I do not understand why certain organisations are determined to change our country’s flag.

“The Labour Party wants it removed from leaflets saying it will offend some people and we have organisations including ludicrous colour changes.

“There is so much to be proud of in this country and I think we should all unite behind our flag.

“I for one, along with this Conservative government are proud of our flag and it is a shame others are not showing it the same respect.”