Why Did People Allow The Union Flag To Be Associated With Far Right Groups?

[sp1814]

This is the result:

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/herne-bay/news/st-georges-flag-snubbed-16150/

Which other country would allow their nation flag to become associated with right wing political factions?

In America, all people can stand behind their flag...now if you see a group of men marching down the street with the Union Flag draped around their shoulders, you can be fairly certain that their knuckles will be draping along the ground (did ya see what I did there?)

Seriously...how comes this happened to England, but not Scotland, Ireland or Wales?

Who is to blame (because I assume *someone* has to be blamed...)

[Old_Geezer]

I'm unsure what law one would use to prevent a group using it.

[hc4361]

Have you got that mixed up, sp? Wetherspoon's displayed the Union Flag because they believed the England flag might offend people, allegedly, according to a customer.

It is the England flag that is sometimes associated with far right groups.

[sp1814]

hc4361

Gah!

Yes, you're right. The Union Flag is the Union Jack.

I meant the Flag of St George.

Cheers!

[Peter Pedant]

Those damned yankees swear allegiance to the Flag

whereas we dont - we swear allegiance to the Queen.

IN the seventies the union flag was hardly ever used - and so there was an opportunity for the National Front to commandeer it.

[Old_Geezer]

I thought they both were.
Maybe less so of late though.

[Peter Pedant]

.

No you re OK sp the original ones used the Union Flag.

[sp1814]

OG

Yes, I see your point. I'm not suggesting that some prescriptive law be brought in...I'm just wondering why the England flag has been allowed to be associated with a political group (or groups).

I can understand the red flag being associated with left wing groups, but surely our national flag should be completely apolitical?

Why have we got to this state, and who's to blame (yes, it's the 'b' word again).

Also, can anyone work out when it happened?

[Wharton]

Aberdeen is deserted on flag days.

[sp1814]

PP

Now here's the weird thing...down our way (we lived near Bermondsey, which back in the 70s was a bit of an NF stronghold), I remember the Union Flag being used in their literature, posters etc.

I always assumed that political groups moved to the flag of St George because so many people didn't know which way the Union Flag should be hung (this was in the days before the Internet).

[Baldric]

//The Union Flag is the Union Jack.//
only when flown on a Ship!

[jno]

Wiki says that's a historical error invented by the Victorians, Baldric. The theory is that it can only be called the Union Jack when flown from a jack staff; but in fact the flag existed before jack staffs did, so the latter were more likely named after the flag.

[Baldric]

^^^ you nicked my line earlier ;-)

[hc4361]

But you're both wrong.
"It is often stated that the Union Flag should only be described as the Union Jack when flown in the bows of a warship, but this is a relatively recent idea. From early in its life the Admiralty itself frequently referred to the flag as the Union Jack, whatever its use, and in 1902 an Admiralty Circular announced that Their Lordships had decided that either name could be used officially. Such use was given Parliamentary approval in 1908 when it was stated that “the Union Jack should be regarded as the National flag”.

http://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/british-flags/the-union-jack-or-the-union-flag/

[Baldric]

I'll settle for an English opinion on that, thanks jno!

[jno]

will the Admiralty, as cited by hc4631, do, Baldric?

[sp1814]

Yes...all those who pulled me up on the Union Jack / Flag snafu are completely correct.

[jno]

...even if I inadvertently promoted hc4361?