MSP flaps over Union flag (Proposal to include black in British flag for diversity)

BBC News ^ | 10 June, 2003 | BBC

[gd124]

A call for the Union flag to include the colour black to reflect multicultural Britain has been dismissed as "ridiculous tokenism" by a Scottish Tory MSP.

Charity worker Nigel Turner, who is launching the campaign, said the change would help mark the diversity in the UK.

His campaign called reFLAG aims to have a new flag by 2006 when it will 400 years since the royal decree which brought together the flags of England and Scotland.

But Phil Gallie, MSP for South of Scotland, said the idea was a non-starter and would do nothing to "stamp out racism".

Mr Turner, 46, has e-mailed MPs, MSPs and the media, and is preparing to launch his campaign website

There's a lot of value in the process of asking what we want to say about ourselves and how we want to appear to others Nigel Turner, reFLAG

He said: "We're used to big corporations spending millions on a new logo, which they see as a carefully-judged investment for the future health of the enterprise, yet the UK hasn't reviewed its logo - the Union flag - for 200 years.

"Changing a logo isn't just about the shapes and colours of the final design.

"There's a lot of value in the process of asking what we want to say about ourselves and how we want to appear to others."

But Mr Gallie said the idea would not get off the ground and called for the status quo.

Phile Gallie said the flag should be left alone

He said: "I recognise the contribution made to our nation's history of people of all colours, not just white and black.

"The flag of the United Kingdom is just that, made up of the three national flags of the British Isles kingdoms."

"Given the campaign objectives the logic is that we should change the flags that make up the Union flag also."

The MSP said the UK's identity was "under threat from European federalism".

He added: "We should all celebrate cultural diversity in the UK, but the suggestion that our flag should be redesigned is ridiculous tokenism and would do nothing to stamp out racism."

[gd124]

The Proposed Flag:

from here: http://www.reflag.co.uk

[gd124]

How do you make clickable links?

[xm177e2]

<A HREF="url">Link Text Here</a>

Put the URL inside the quotes (actually, quotes are optional, and you've got a link.

That will look like this: Link Text Here

[gd124]

Thanks.

From here: reFLAG

[mhking]

Just say no.....

[Nebr FAL owner]

In regards to the proposed "new" flag WERES THE BLOODY BARF ALERT!!!!

[LTCJ]

Who's gonna be the unlucky stiff that's gotta tell all the blue people?

God save the Queen. Quickly, if you please.

[gd124]

But it's so diverse!!!



</sarcasm>

[Mike Darancette]

G.B. should dig up some of the "white" folks buried at Westminster Abbey and replace them with some more diverse types.

[razorback-bert]

Needs some green.

[Central_Floridian]

The purpose of the flag of Great Britain is to symbolize the countries of which Great Britain is composed, and the ideals upon which Great Britain was founded, not the complexions of the various races residing in Great Britain.
That some would like to deface the Union Jack, the combination of Saint Andrew's cross, Scotland's flag, and Saint Patrick's cross, Ireland's flag, and the cross of Saint George, the flag of England with with black stripes to symbolize relativistic "cultural diversity" shows that they have purposed to replace the traditional ideals of the United Kingdom with the impractical, failed, unreasonable, and false beliefs of "political correctness".

[HennepinPrisoner]

Oh good grief.....only Guardianistas would come up with such utter tosh. A multicultural flag....

How about a little yellow, tan, and brown as well?

I normally could care less about what other nations do with their flags, but watch for LULAC and the NAACP to start proposing similar changes to OUR flag.

Long live the Red, white and blue Stars and Stripes.