Peter Facey (London, Unlock Democracy): Earlier this week Ian Lucas MP held a debate at Westminster on the fact that Wales alone of the four constituent parts of the United Kingdom is not represented on the Union Flag.
For those of you who don't know, the present version contains the flags of St George, St Patrick and St Andrew and dates back to 1801. Ian's personal suggestion is to represent Wales by adding the Red Dragon to the Union Flag. Even if no one else supports it, my 2 year old son, who likes dragons, would definitely be in favour. For me one of the other suggestions of adding the flag of St David (a yellow cross on a black background) to the Union Flag has a nice symmetry.
But a more serious issue is that unlike Scotland and even Ireland, Wales was effectively incorporated into England by force. The 1536 Act that effectively merged the two countries was an Act of the English Parliament. May be rather than a new flag we need to complete Welsh devolution and have a Welsh Act of Union worthy of its name.
Moderator: Today's Telegraph has some reader inspired suggestions of what the new flag might look like. We've reproduced one of the ones from Japan...
Comments
I personally would not like to see Wales anywhere near the Union Flag. The Union Flag, around the world, is seen as an imperialistic flag that conquered almost a third of the world through war, rape and pilaging. Wales has their own flags that I feel strongly proud about; mainly because we are seen to be a peaceful, happy nation. Besides even if we were incorporated onto the flag, it would not change the international view that the flag is just England's.
You can say that we were incorporated into England in 1535, but please show me where in the Act that it mentions that Wales was ever to be part of England. Also Henry VIII wasn't a Welshman, his father was; Henry VIII actually disliked the Welsh, which is why it was during this era that people were forced to speak English in Wales, (Laws in Wales Act 1535).
Come on Wales, we don't want no Union Flag; let's stick to Y Ddraig Goch (the Red Dragon), St. David's Flag and Glyndwr's Flag.
ma bob dim ti di deud yn cerddoriaeth i clustia fi :)
I too have pondered the idea of some sort of Welsh incorporation into the Union Jack. While the dragon superimposed onto the middle of the flag would be very cool indeed, I can't seriously suggest it. The Union Jack, as stated above, is a product of historical synthesis. Scotland and Northern Ireland more or less negotiated into union, creating the flag as it is today whereas Wales did not have that oppertunity as a product of conquest long ago. As the above person stated, Wales also has its own proud flags, those of the dragon and the parton saint St. David. So, while the absence of Welsh representation on the flag does seem like yet another classic example of Cymru being left out, it is certainly understandable; unlike other examples such as the Encyclopaedia Britannica entry from I think the late 1800s that reads: "for Wales, see England," or the fact that the majority of the work in the genre of "British" History has traditionally tended to ignore the existance of Wales. These things are somewhat superficial, though. The post calls for a new act of union for the Wales of today. It is through this; the growth and expansion of the Assembly and the future of the UK in the EU that Wales will seek to better meet its own unique needs that no doubt exist and have at times gone ignored, not through an albeit very nice looking dragon placed on the Union Jack.
No thanks. I am like many other Welsh peeople hugely gratified that Wales is not represented on the British flag. We have our own flag, we don't need any other.
I notice that we like to say that Wales was conquered, which it was but it has nothing to do with the Union Flag. Henry Tudor reconquered that lost part of Britain that is now called England ,landing in South Wales with the Bretons, crossing Wales whilst all the time raising an army (I had intended to write 'Gt. Britain but it would only invite incorrect replies concerning the Anglo/Scottish Act of Union'). The Wars of the Roses were very convenient to the Earl of Richmond or perhaps vice-versa but all the same the Welsh were convinced of their victory and Henry named his eldest son Arthur in honour of Merlin's prophesy that the British i.e. the Welsh, would one day regain the throne of Britain. The Tudors were a Welsh family and many of todays 'English' nobles were the Welsh Advisers who moved to London with Henry. In her own time Elizabeth was referred to as "that Welsh harlot. The Court of the Tudors promulgated Wales and bore Welsh courts of arms which were lost under the Scottish Stuarts.Arthur died before ascending to the Throne, Henry Vlll being Welsh, brought about the Act of Union thinking it to be in the interest of Wales because for all intents and purposes the two Countries had become one. Wales is not represented on the Union Flag not because it was conquered by England but ironically because a Welsh family took the Throne.
there is no point for the flag, England are the only country in the UK that actually uses it, Scotland hates England with a passion so does not really want to be on it. Ireland could be debatable seems as half of there country was taken from them and Wales as much as some people would actually want to be on it so we actually would be acknowledge but another side is to say we hate England as much as Scotland we have the same reasons such as killed our royal blood the killing of our language so why would we want to be apart of something we hate
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