Flying the flag

Snap I'm British too. But your Britishness gets to trumps mine for some reason. I've never called you or anyone on here unbritish.

No one has yet said why the UK should be different to any other country re displaying flags. Apart from it being 'unbritish'. That and trying to compare the union flag to a swastika.

Mamardoit

We are not in a one party state. There is nothing sinister about a politician or anyone standing with our flag in the background.

There are a few very arrogant posters. So standing in front of our national flag 'is not British'.....Who the hell are they to decide what's British and what's not?

Well, actually being British helps. Having been British for a lot of years and observed how we normally behave helps.

And conversely, who has any right to tell me that I'm unBritish for not liking the way our national flag is being used

GagaJo

I've been in Switzerland for getting on for a year and a half now. Not seen a flag anywhere, at any point.

Do they play rugby?

We are not in a one party state. There is nothing sinister about a politician or anyone standing with our flag in the background.

There are a few very arrogant posters. So standing in front of our national flag 'is not British'.....Who the hell are they to decide what's British and what's not?

I've been in Switzerland for getting on for a year and a half now. Not seen a flag anywhere, at any point.

www.worldometers.info/geography/flags-of-the-world
195 flags of countries of the world

I'm not sure why we should be the only country to be ashamed of our flag.

But as some obviously are, remember it's a free country, unlike Nazi Germany was as growstuff has reminded us several times - you don't have to fly a flag.

Absolutely agree Daisendl I can’t believe some of the stuff I’m reading on here. Implications that people are racist etc. I’m proud to be British and Welsh and I particularly love our Ddraig Goch (Welsh dragon). Why on earth does everything have to be politicised? The Dragon represents our country, culture and language of which I am proud. In the same way I’m proud to be part of Britain too and see no problem with having the Union Jack on display. Where will all this craziness end? People feeling unsafe in their own homes?

My other point up thread is that politicians should not try to take over a national flag and appropriate it.

Gagajo Nice one! They seem to have forgotten the power stance now. I particularly liked that series of Blackadder. I thought Hugh Laurie was brilliant as the Prince Regent.

I'm afraid it's you who are muddled, Callistemon.
Not at all

The purpose of those flags was to reinforce attachment to the regime

Well, that was my point. It was the flag of a party, nit a national flag

Exactly Dinahmo. Do you remember when they all did the power stance? Looked like they'd pooed themselves.

Callistemon

^It's not the flags she's equating, it's their purpose.^

Absolutely, MaizieD!

I think growstuff is getting muddled between flags of a country (and every country has its own flag) and that of a party such as that of the Fascist Party led by Hitler, which took precedence over the national flag as the republic became a one-party state.

I'm afraid it's you who are muddled, Callistemon.

The purpose of those flags was to reinforce attachment to the regime. A fascist regime; authoritarian, dictatorial and emphasising the supremacy of the State. And emphasising it by requiring allegiance to the symbols of the state; in this case, flags.

As far as other countries are concerned they can have as many national flags as they like at their press conferences. All I am trying to say is that has never particularly been the British way of doing things.

I don't think, either, that we've ever before had a British MP tell the nation that that if they don't honour the flag and the Queen perhaps they should go and live somewhere else... That sounds exactly like the inane comments made by not very bright Leave voters. 37% of the electorate trying to bully the whole country.

It's not the flags she's equating, it's their purpose.

Absolutely, MaizieD!

I think growstuff is getting muddled between flags of a country (and every country has its own flag) and that of a party such as that of the Fascist Party led by Hitler, which took precedence over the national flag as the republic became a one-party state.

Marmadoit It's not a democratic vote when the party that wins has gained less that 50% of the vote cast. There's only been two instances I think in the last 70 odd years when the party in govt has actually had a majority. Estimates here I'm afraid. I did quote accurate figures few weeks ago on a different thread but don't have time to look them up again.

Iam64, other countries had empires and didn’t behave any better than we did, but don’t see that as a reason to sneer at their national flag.
Dislike of the flag is a very English thing.

Mamardoit excellent post ?

Well said Marmardoit.

GagaJo

On fire tonight growstuff. ???

Do you approve of the choice of photographs GagaJo?

I've looked back at some photos. The Irish, French, German, American leaders all have their own national flags at press conferences. Please can someone explain what is so awful about the Union flag.

We had a free election in 2019 and will have another one in 2-3 years. We are not living under a dictator. Hell I'm mid 60s and never yet had an MP I voted for. But I'm not a mardy arse who can't accept a democratic vote.

It seems to me that it's the right wing of the Tory party posing in front of the national flag (in their homes) to show how patriotic they are. Even Martin Daubeny (briefly an MEP better known as an editor of GQ magazine) has two in his living room or study and it just looks stupid. They're just like sheep. (or worse) One does it so the others don't want to be left out. It's nothing more than posturing.

I feel very sorry for those whose sense of 'who they are' is so fragile that they need to be constantly reminded of it by a charlatan parading in front of a flag.

Exactly this MaizieD. I know exactly who I am and what my allegance is. I don't need a bit of fabric to tell me.

Callistemon

growstuff with respect, you seem obsessed with Hitler for some reason.

Equating the Union flag with the swastika is very, very odd indeed.

It's not the flags she's equating, it's their purpose.

lemongrove

For those ( mercifully few) posters, who fear that government ministers who have their own country’s flag in their office /home office will shortly lead to the march of jackboots down Pall Mall, Whitehall and Downing St, I would say, take a few deep breaths, followed by a nice strong cup of tea and an early night.

Do go back to sleep, lemon. I'm sure that you'll really enjoy it when it happens.

Daisend1

Gwyneth
There are times in this ever changing world ,echoed by friends and relatives, when it does no harm in being reminded 'who we are' .What better way than the National Flag.

Well, I know who I am. I don't need a flag to remind me.

I am British. I have been British all my life. All 70 years of it. I have never felt anything but British.

I feel very sorry for those whose sense of 'who they are' is so fragile that they need to be constantly reminded of it by a charlatan parading in front of a flag.

I don't have any problem at all with people wo have been in the habit of flying their national flags for a long time. The Welsh and the Scots are very welcome to do so. I don't find that in any way sinister. But the current outburst of flag waving by the government is disgusting.

nanna8

No problem with it at all. I think it is a bit sad when a bit of nationalistic pride is knocked. You have a good country. ??

Thanks nanna8. I think we have a pretty good country too. There are a great many places in the world I wouldn’t want to live in. Britain’s good for me, whichever government is in power.

Is the swastika flag the same as a national flag? I don’t think it is. The swastika was the flag of a repugnant political party, the Nazi party, not the same as the German flag at all. Not like the Union flag either. I wouldn’t want to see it in classrooms, that’s American culture, not British. I don’t care if politicians have a Union flag in their zoom calls. It all seems like a storm in a teacup to be honest.

I do think many people think BBC presenters disrespecting the flag were out of order. Were they mocking the flag? I don’t know because I didn’t see it. Isn’t there more important news to be discussing on morning television?