EU flags at Last Night of the Proms

I’d personally rather see more of the many different and colourful flags from all the different nations and areas of the people attending. It’s interesting to see where all the audience hail from.

Yes. I miss the days when the AH was a sea of colourful flags. The problem with the EU flag is that it’s rather dark and dreary.

Can I just point out that the 'outrage' was Harvey Proctor, ex MP, and perhaps a few of the predictable sad cases of Brexit support such as Farage. Personally, I couldn't care less what their opinion is. On anything.

We love and always watch the Last Night of the Proms.

Over the past few years there have been quite a number of European flags enthusiastically waved but this year there were more than ever.

We were anti-Brexit (proved correct(?) - but that's for another post...) so were delighted to see that if Europe were viewing, they would understand that almost half of our population still support the idea of being in the EU.

I understand that flag waving can be jingoistic but the Union Jack (it's OK, I know I am not at sea) can also still make me proud.

I agree with much of Maddyone's earlier post of 09.47. The Proms are all about the music,.

Maggiemaybe

And in the real world, I haven’t heard anyone even mention the flags when the proms have come up in conversation. The main topic has been the Northern Soul prom, which was superb. Was anyone really “outraged”, even the few talking heads? Was anyone really “outraged” a few years back when a Brexit supporting group handed out free union flags at the last night?

I’d personally rather see more of the many different and colourful flags from all the different nations and areas of the people attending. It’s interesting to see where all the audience hail from.

But crowd funding’s already well underway for the thousands of EU flags to be handed out in 2024, so let’s look forward to another non story next year.

Great post Maggiemaybe.
Should I put it on my calendar to remind me to see if the non story arrives here next year?

maddyone

I find that many people abroad haven’t got a clue where Hampshire or Cheshire are Fluerpepper but they do tend to know where England is.

Moat people abraod call the UK 'England' - much to the fury of Scotts, Welsh and NIrish.

Foxygloves

^P.S the 'jack2' is an obvious typo, IMO^
Obvious? Who was to say?
Yes, most of us know about the Union Flag and Union Jack, but as in my experience merlotgran is rarely snide, this was an unfair accusation! 🇬🇧🇪🇺🇬🇧🇪🇺🇬🇧🇪🇺🇬🇧

Thank you, Foxygloves.

I’m sure if paddyann thought I was being snide she’d have said so by now. 😂

Foxygloves

^P.S the 'jack2' is an obvious typo, IMO^
Obvious? Who was to say?
Yes, most of us know about the Union Flag and Union Jack, but as in my experience merlotgran is rarely snide, this was an unfair accusation! 🇬🇧🇪🇺🇬🇧🇪🇺🇬🇧🇪🇺🇬🇧

You missed the 'IMO'.

That was 'who was to say'. It was Me.

I find that many people abroad haven’t got a clue where Hampshire or Cheshire are Fluerpepper but they do tend to know where England is.

Well it is all about parochialism. Many people in Yorkshire or other parts of UK will say they are from Yorkshire before saying they are British, or English. In the Potteries until not long ago, people identified with one of the towns, rather than the area.

So it depends very much on your life experiences and background- and what matters to you most.

Louella12

I'm very interested to hear why some people refer to themselves as European first. I'm not saying there's anything wrong but I'd love to know when this started.

I'm 63 now. When I was growing up we knew we were from the continent of Europe but nobody I knew referred to themselves as European. British/ English/ Scottish etc etc, but never European.

Europe is such a fabulous continent. Filled with different culture and beliefs

I voted Remsin but I have to say I've never thought of myself as European. Even though I am.

I think of myself as European but I would refer to myself,if asked. as British

P.S the 'jack2' is an obvious typo, IMO
Obvious? Who was to say?
Yes, most of us know about the Union Flag and Union Jack, but as in my experience merlotgran is rarely snide, this was an unfair accusation! 🇬🇧🇪🇺🇬🇧🇪🇺🇬🇧🇪🇺🇬🇧

MaizieD

Either merlotgran was being snide or she really doesn't know....

All about 'jack' flags here.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_(flag)

Technically the Union Jack should only be known as that if it is being used as a jack flag on a naval vessel.

At all other times it is the Union Flag.

But you know what happens with language and usage change...

(P.S the 'jack2' is an obvious typo, IMO)

I wasn’t being snide. That’s a ridiculous thing to say and yes I do know that the Union flag should really only be referred to as the Union Jack when hoisted on a naval warship when it’s not in harbour.

I queried Jack2 because paddyann often likes to emphasise that she doesn’t feel any allegiance to English symbols or traditions - and why should she?.

I also realised that it could have been a typo but there’s no harm in asking.

Plus if people want to wave the EU flag at the last night of the proms, that’s up to them. Let them wave any flag they wish, it doesn’t matter. It’s about the glorious music not about flags. So long as they’re not waving a swastika, it doesn’t matter a jot. I’m certainly not going to get exercised about that.

Good, solid reasoning from Maizie and Greta, but however European you feel, you still are the nationality of the country you were born in ( or if you emigrated and took citizenship of) and when I’m abroad and people ask where I’m from I don’t say Europe. Seriously, do you? When I’m in America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore and many other places I’ve been lucky enough to visit, I don’t reply Europe. They’d think I’d lost the plot. My answer is either the UK, Britain, or more usually but not always, England. The same applies if I’m in France, Germany, Croatia, or any other European country. I normally say I’m English then.
This ridiculous comment of I’m European has only arrived since the referendum. It’s a sort of childish protest against having to leave the EU. The EU is a political arrangement between some European nations and is not a place you can come from.
Plus if you’re Caucasian it’s pretty obvious where your ancestors came from just as if you’re black it’s fairly obvious, or Asian it’s obvious too. But you’re not been asked where your ancestors came from, you’re being asked where you come from. And the polite answer is the country you come from and are a citizen of, whatever your skin colour may suggest!

Either merlotgran was being snide or she really doesn't know....

All about 'jack' flags here.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_(flag)

Technically the Union Jack should only be known as that if it is being used as a jack flag on a naval vessel.

At all other times it is the Union Flag.

But you know what happens with language and usage change...

(P.S the 'jack2' is an obvious typo, IMO)

If you Google jack2 you get a radio station 🤣🤣🤣

merlotgran

^I dont consider the "jack2 to be my flag...that would be a Saltire^

What’s the meaning behind Jack2, paddyann?

I haven’t heard it before.

Shouldn't worry about it. Made up probably.

Greta

I would certainly describe myself as Swedish first but I have always felt a strong connection to other Europeans. Thankfully I can still exercise that connection since that right has no been removed from me.

I still think of myself as English first, still connected to my European families, you know the countries. Not the EU, that's just an umbrella term for Governance.

I didn’t see it this year, but aren’t there always all sorts of different flags waved at thenLast Night? I’m sure I’ve seen sundry European national ones, as we as US, Aussie, South African, etc. - and EU.

I would certainly describe myself as Swedish first but I have always felt a strong connection to other Europeans. Thankfully I can still exercise that connection since that right has no been removed from me.

And in the real world, I haven’t heard anyone even mention the flags when the proms have come up in conversation. The main topic has been the Northern Soul prom, which was superb. Was anyone really “outraged”, even the few talking heads? Was anyone really “outraged” a few years back when a Brexit supporting group handed out free union flags at the last night?

I’d personally rather see more of the many different and colourful flags from all the different nations and areas of the people attending. It’s interesting to see where all the audience hail from.

But crowd funding’s already well underway for the thousands of EU flags to be handed out in 2024, so let’s look forward to another non story next year.

I do wonder at some of the posters perceived injustices.

I wasn't enraged by sad losers, the music was brilliant, composers are judged by their work which lives on as its so beautiful.

Europe is a landmass of which the British isles were originally a part.

The 'individual countries' on the landmass have been pretty fluid entities over the centuries as they passed from ruler to ruler by inheritance or marriage or conquest. Many of the European 'countries' we recognise today were only established in the 19th and 20th centuries

Interestingly, when the country we now know as Germany was a collection of autonomous states the people within them did identify themselves as 'German' on occasion.

Nothing is black and white, maddyone.

Part of my reason for voting Remain in 1975 was to recognise that the UK was as 'european' as the landmass it had been detached from. People don't need to be castigated for saying they feel part of it...

Have to admit to getting a bit emotional on the rare occasions I hear Maybe it’s because I’m a Londoner. Maybe every 10 years or so. Not only do most people describe themselves as from their own particular country but they break it down to the town/ district they originated from. I have an Austrian friend, she is the same and so is one of my Dutch friends.