Flying the flag

I don’t agree lemongrove, I think there’s a difference between people in their homes and gardens, of their own choice displaying a flag, and it being used by politicians in recent months as a talisman for Britishness. They are cynically using it far more than happened before, to try to engender patriotism, but people see through it.

to claim the flag

The point is that the effort of the Tory Party to cvlim the flag as theirs and theirs alone has devalued our national symbol and brought it into disrepute.

What is it then?

Do you believe that all these Tory politicians normally live in home festooned with union jacks?

varian

It does look as if the Tory Party are trying to misuse the union jack in the same way that the SNP misuse the saltire.

These national flags belong to all of us, not to any political party.

How about the Welsh flag? Not really fair that they have the best flag and the best anthem is it. The Welsh first minister always appears with a flag.

The tory party are not misusing the the union flag. They are cabinet members and they should fly the flag IMO. Yes it is a flag that belongs to all of us. The marching thugs have had it for too long let's claim it back.

I'm sure I've seen the Labour leader with the flag in the background too.

I quite like to see it flying from the church and on the parish council office. The cricket club fly the English flag along side the club flag on match days.

It isn’t about having the flag in your own house / garden, this thread is about ( the OP) disliking to see other people ( in this case politicians) showing our flag in their home offices.
A sort of ‘how very dare they’ ( it’s sinister!)
No, actually it isn’t anything of the kind.

I think that we should be like the USA and many other nations and swear allegiance to the flag at school every morning. It has made the disparate American people into one nation, time for us Brits to do the same. Also, much is made of St David's Day, St Andrew's Day, St Patrick's Day, it is time for St George's Day to come to the fore and fly the English flag. Why should we English be ashamed the Welsh, Scots, N Irish are not. We do not even have our own parliament.

Pantglas2
I think because, with the politicians, it just doesn't look authentic.

“This business with flags bears no relation to if one loves ones country or not, we don't all have to parade our patriotism in order to feel it.”

Of course you don’t but why do people who feel that way also feel the need to mock those who want to?

That’s because some don’t feel it Ilovecheese, sadly.

Bodach

lemsip

if they are making video calls from home then presumably they are work calls as it's the 'office' to all intents and purposes so that is why the union jack is there. Why would someone question it? What's wrong with people, not the flag.

Absolutely right, lemsip. Some years ago, the nature of my job meant that I often accompanied official visitors from abroad to meetings in the offices of several Secretaries of State and related Ministers in various Government Departments. As far as I can recall, union flags and photographs of HM the Queen were standard office furniture - and were always included in the 'grip and grin' photos. Had these individuals been 'Zooming' on official business from home (and from what I got to know of them) I'm sure the same flag and photo would have been on view. And it may surprise all you 'lefties' out there to know that Labour was in Government then.

But it is not "the office" is it? They are in their own homes.
That is the silliness of it, nothing to do with what side of the political fence one sits on.

I don't suppose every one of them will have a dedicated home office, what with other members of the family working from home and with home schooling.

Do the rest of the household want some enormous flag cluttering up the place.

This business with flags bears no relation to if one loves ones country or not, we don't all have to parade our patriotism in order to feel it.

Lemongrove ?

Or perhaps a case of sour grapes on your part varian that we have left the EU and we are not flying the EU flag. Tories have an 80 seat majority, the Lib Dems will never be a party of any merit. Boris Johnson is now riding high in the Polls thanks to the vaccine rollout. We will be coming out of lockdown soon. The list goes on. ??

There are some utterly ridiculous posts on this thread... do those who see fascism in either the display of an English flag or the Union flag, see it in the Welsh flag? The French flag? The Swedish flag? Of course they don’t! Their ire is reserved only for the English or Union one.Now, ask yourselves why this would be?
It’s rather nice to see more of the Union flag, and hopefully, in time, it will be seen as the proud symbol it used to be.
Every country has a flag and uses it .

AmberSpyglass

If I see someone flying or displaying the Union Jack, I tend to assume they’re racist. And I’m usually right.

One of our neighbours flies all sorts of flags from the Union flag through to Norwich City. He goes via The flags for Scotland, Wales and the flag of St. George. He celebrates St. Patrick’s day and American Independence Day.
I don’t think he’s racist.

So, Gagajo? Which other country do you spend your time in and what is their attitude to their national flag? Do they have any of their holier than thou nationals breathing down their necks telling them they are ridiculous and sinister if they dare to display it and have pride in it?

Or possibly just Tory propaganda

lemsip

if they are making video calls from home then presumably they are work calls as it's the 'office' to all intents and purposes so that is why the union jack is there. Why would someone question it? What's wrong with people, not the flag.

Absolutely right, lemsip. Some years ago, the nature of my job meant that I often accompanied official visitors from abroad to meetings in the offices of several Secretaries of State and related Ministers in various Government Departments. As far as I can recall, union flags and photographs of HM the Queen were standard office furniture - and were always included in the 'grip and grin' photos. Had these individuals been 'Zooming' on official business from home (and from what I got to know of them) I'm sure the same flag and photo would have been on view. And it may surprise all you 'lefties' out there to know that Labour was in Government then.

I don’t think it’s false patriotism EkwaNimitee. I think it’s to counter balance the sight of the EU flag when our government ministers are interviewed. Europeans will be watching. It sends a message. Product placement possibly but not false.

I'm with GagaJo And Dr. Johnson, the dictionary gent, who said it right a long time ago, "Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel" Apparently he meant false patriotism, which is what these politicians are doing I guess

If I see someone flying or displaying the Union Jack, I tend to assume they’re racist. And I’m usually right. What tosh.

Have you done a survey AmberSpyglass - do you go and question anyone you see flying the flag or displaying it in any way?
For example the British Olympic team?
Like this man for instance?

I think the Union flag is all about drawing us all together, post-Brexit. No bad thing as it represents something that unites us all, surely?
?? ?

varian

Does the display of union jacks by politicians making video calls from their homes not just appear ridiculous, but a tad sinister?

www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/mar/19/flag-of-convenience-why-ministers-cant-get-enough-of-the-union-jack

It's not sinister, varian but the Union flag must not be allowed to be claimed by the Tory Government as theirs. It belongs to us all.

And once again, an intelligent discussion is talked down, just because there are differing opinions.

AmberSpyglass

If I see someone flying or displaying the Union Jack, I tend to assume they’re racist. And I’m usually right.

I’ll keep that in mind whenever I see a Saltire being flown here in Scotland. The owners will be racists. Also, when we are once again permitted to travel, I shall avoid British Airways, not because of their poor service but because they’re obviously racists, too.