Will The BBC Ever Get It Right?
I, of course, refer to the story that a welsh MP wants to add the welsh dragon to the Union FLAG. The MP in question gets it right. He says that:
"I believe that the Union Flag should change now to reflect the four nations of the United Kingdom - England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales."
And:"Changing an iconic image such as the Union Flag may appear to be more difficult to achieve than 200 years ago, but nonetheless I believe the change is right," he said.
And now let's look at the BBC's text to go with the story. There are six mistakes:The Union Jack should be combined with the Welsh flag, according to an MP who wants the change to be made to reflect Wales's status within the UK.
And:In a Commons debate, Wrexham's Labour MP Ian Lucas said Wales' Red Dragon should be added to the Union Jack's red, white and blue pattern.
And:He said the Union Jack currently only represented the other three UK nations. But Stewart Jackson, Conservative MP for Peterborough, said the plan was "eccentric" and would be unpopular.
And:She said the government is "keen" to make the Union Jack "a positive symbol of Britishness reflecting the diversity of our country today and encouraging people to take pride in our flag".
And:And the minister acknowledged that a number of people across Britain were unhappy about flying the Union Jack as they felt it does not "truly represent the United Kingdom."
And finally:Ian Lucas says Wales' flag should be combined with the Union Jack.
I call upon the BBC to show some respect to the flag and therefore the Union for once by actually calling the Union FLAG by its proper name. That is, NOT the "Union Jack". It is only permissible to call it the "Jack" when the flag is being flown on water. Any general discussions should use the term "flag". I have raised this on this blog about the BBC's incapability of calling something by its proper name at least three times before. But because it would be somewhat jingoistic to insist that they get it right, the BBC can get away with spreading untruths about the naming of our FLAG. I therefore, if a BBC employee reads this, challenge them to rid the article of all references to the "jack", and replace them with the word "flag". Apart from the reference to Stuart Jackson, the Tory MP who opposed this idea.
Posts
4 comments:
And breathe.
So with that off your chest, what do you think of the actual suggestion?
Sorry but you are wrong ...
The Flag Institute, the vexillological organisation for the United Kingdom, stated that the term Union Flag is a "relatively recent idea". It also noted that "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".[
While the term "union flag" is recent, originally, according the the Flag Institute's website, it was called the "British Flag". So it is possible to argue that while putting "union" in front is recent, the idea of calling it a flag pre-dates calling it a "jack". This is irrelevant, however, because just because something is recent, however relative, does not make it incorrect.
Re. the suggestion, it just seems a tad too pointless for my liking.
Ah yes, that old chestnut and urban myth. You are completely wrong and the BBC, on this occasion, is right. Either term, "Union Flag" or "Union Jack" is quite clearly permissible, as the aforementioned Flag Institute web site makes clear and moreover, cites the evidence and sources for doing so, including the proclamation of Charles I.
You are right, however, that just because something is recent it doesn't mean it is necessarily incorrect, however, you don't provide any sources or evidence for your mythical assertion.
Naval flags are of a different aspect ratio, in any event.
Best regards
Post a Comment
Post a Comment