STOPPING the rainbow flag being flown over the Foreign Office and embassies during Gay Pride events undermines efforts to promote human rights, MPs have warned.

William Hague allowed the international symbol to be raised atop his Whitehall headquarters as Foreign Secretary in 2014 but the practice ended when Philip Hammond took over the role.

The FCO said it was “long-standing policy” only to allow the Union flag, other national flags and those of overseas territories to be run up.

But the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee urged Hammond to ignore the protocol and follow Hague’s lead by restoring the rainbow, which is flown annually by some other departments.

His failure to do so in 2015 “sent a message that contradicts much of the actual work and objectives of the FCO”, it suggested in a report on human rights.

The issue was among a number raised by the MPs on the cross-party group concerned that the UK Government foreign policy was placing less importance on human rights issues.

Crispin Blunt, the committee chairman, called on the Foreign Office to give greater emphasis to human rights.

“We recommend that the FCO is more mindful of the perceptions it creates at ministerial level, especially when other interests are engaged such as prosperity and security, as is the case with China, Egypt and Saudi Arabia,” he said.

“Perceptions, and the symbols that reinforce them, matter, particularly in the context of the UK’s soft power and international influence.”