Union flag symbolises a colonialist mindset
I FULLY agree with Rhidian Richard objecting to the waving of Union Jacks (Letters, May 11) but for a different reason. This flag represents a gross insult to both the Republic of Ireland and to Wales. It consists of just three crosses, one of which is the Cross of St Patrick of Ireland – the whole of Ireland. As such, our essentially English Government insists on perpetuating the absurd pretence that the Irish Republic is still part of the UK, although it became an independent country 98 years ago. This pretence shows the ongoing colonialist mentality of the Government in nostalgically hankering back to the past when the Empire was at its zenith. It is, indeed, pathetic and ludicrous and should evoke the condemnation of all right-minded people.
Furthermore, neither the Cross of St David nor the Red Dragon of Wales is represented on the Union Jack. As such, the Government either pretends that Wales is not a part of the UK, which is patently false, or else that it is represented by one of the three crosses on the flag – the Cross of St George of England, presumably. This is, of course, equally false as virtually all Welsh people would ardently deny that England’s Cross of St George represents Wales (as would most other people in the UK).
Of course, the nature of the Union Jack is largely unknown to many people in Wales and our imperialist-minded Government is content not to disseminate its nature to them. Concealing it from them is nearer the mark. As a result, people in Wales fly this flag from time to time even though they are not represented on it. In contrast, it is impossible to imagine anyone in England flying the Union Jack if it did not contain the Cross of St
George – nor would the Government entertain it for a moment.
The United Kingdom consists of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and its flag should therefore consist of four emblems, one for each of the four parts – and nothing else. This is a pretty fundamental, rational and equitable principle and it is high time that it was adopted and implemented to displace the current pretences that characterise the Union Jack.
However, for successive Englanddominated UK governments these Empire-mentality pretences far outweigh any elementary logic, so we shouldn’t expect any changes to the current ridiculous Union Jack any time soon, certainly not before it is forced on the Government when Scotland emerges as an independent country.