Gavin Yates (Edinburgh, GYMedia): The Prime Minister's plan to raise the Union flag on public buildings every day will not apply to Scotland, according to the BBC. As part of Gordon Brown’s new wave of Britishness, the PM said he wanted the national flag flown year round on government buildings, and eventually on police stations and hospitals across the UK. His Governance of Britain Green Paper promises a consultation on this. But when Justice Secretary Jack Straw visited Scotland earlier this month he assured First Minister Alex Salmond that the new policy would not apply north of the border, according to an SNP spokesman.
Under the arrangements the Saltire will fly every day on Scottish public buildings with the Union Flag reserved for the traditional 18 special days including Royal birthdays. The issue of the flag has always been controversial with some SNP members referring to it as ‘the butchers apron’ in reference to Britain’s imperialist past. Personally, I really don’t get any sense of the issue being very important in Scotland. And I hope that ministerial attentions both at Westminster and Holyrood are not diverted into this and focus on ending child poverty and Scotland’s uneasy relationship with the twin problems of alcohol and violence.
But for Brown’s own British strategy the flag is important. The BBC’s quotes Culture Secretary James Purnell as saying: "The Union flag is a powerful symbol of both our heritage and modern, diverse Britain. It brings us together in solidarity and shared identity”. But as Anthony has pointed out in OK, it can do the opposite, "Is flying the Union Jack over London the best way to ensure it flutters with the same meaning over Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast? For if it doesn't the Union will be weakened not strengthened."
