Salix flamingo sprouting shoots

Hello
Have had the salix flamingo for a few years and it's been blossoming nicely, however this summer it has grown lots of really long shoots out of its stem which are now larger than the tree, do we cut them or leave them, they look unsightly in line Witt the tree and look like weeds, any suggestions?

 

I'm guessing this is a top grafted tree standard.
As such I would think the long new shoots are from the rootstock and as such should be cut right back as close as possible to the stem.

A picture would help confirm this.

 

As Pete suggested if you are talking of a standard - any long new shoots do need to be cut away. Use very sharpe pruners so as not to injure any new growth. This will apply to any shoots that are growing below the head of branches. I have one, they are such lovely delicate trees and I prune mine during the winter months when it is dormant.