Flying the Flag

The Union flag was flying across Whitehall yesterday in a display of national solidarity against terrorism.Gordon Brown, we learn, has ordered that all government buildings should fly the flag as a patriotic gesture to help create a new sense of Britishness. No 10 Downing Street, HM Treasury, HM Revenue and Customs, and the Departments of Culture and Health were among those that had hoisted the flag by yesterday.

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An official "direction" has now gone out that all Government buildings that have flag poles should fly the flag 365 days a year. Symbols such as flags, we are told, could help to embody a national culture and citizenship: "The Union flag is one of the most recognisable symbols of the UK." This is indeed very true!

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However, now that the European Union, under the treaty-to-be, looks set to abandon the appellation "Community" and adopt universally the term "Union", that detested "ring of stars" will also become the "union flag". Given the growing evidence of Europhilia in the Brown team, and Gordon's refusal to give an inch on the growing calls for a referendum, one really does wonder if the EU's ring of stars would be the more honest flag to fly. That apart, his token "patriotic gesture" fits ill with his apparent enthusiasm for giving away more powers to the European Union.

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