The Union Jack has become a resurgent symbol for protesters – but some people are only just realising it’s often being flown upside down.
The Union Jack flying in the correct orientation (Image: Getty)
It’s become a symbol of defiance for thousands of people up and down the country in recent months as the Union Jack, along with the England flag of St George, have been tied to lamposts, painted on roundabouts and slapped up on street corners nationwide following a council’s decision to remove English flags from streets.
But with both flags getting so much attention lately, some people have pointed out a common mistake being made with the Union Jack specifically. Some people are only just realising (and others apparently have yet to realise) that the Union Jack does have a correct way round, and is not actually symmetrical.
Posting on Reddit board r/Britishproblems on Sunday, u/happytallperson said: “Despite what many mistakenly believe, the Union Flag is not a symmetrical flag.
“It has a right way up, and a wrong way up. Disappointingly, it seems large numbers of citizens of this damp soggy island have yet to learn how to tell when it is upside down. Embarrassing frankly.”
The Union Jack can be flown the wrong way round as seen here (Image: Getty)
Another poster, u/gholt417 said: “I got stick in my local subreddit for taking photos of all the Union flags that had been put up wrongly. A lot were saying ‘it’s right if you look at it from the other side’ amongst others. Some actually asked how I knew too [so] I explained why our flag actually looks like it does.”
Indeed, the Flag Institute, the UK’s charity on all things flags and vexillology worldwide, which is based in Hull, says that there is indeed an official ‘right way up’ for our national flag.
That’s because the Union Jack is made up of the Scottish flag’s Saltire, on top of the St Patrick’s Cross of Northern Ireland, and the St George’s Cross of England, and the Scottish element is the senior flag in the recognised pecking order of British constituent nation-states.
It writes in its guidance on flags of the UK: “Important: the Union Flag has a correct way up – in the half of the flag nearest the flagpole, the wider diagonal white stripe must be above the red diagonal stripe, as Scotland’s St Andrew’s Cross takes precedence over Ireland’s St Patrick’s Cross.
“It is most improper to fly the flag upside down. If a purely decorative effect is desired it is better to confine the display to flags of lesser status; for example, house flags, pennants or coloured bunting.”
The Union Jack became the subject of debate again on Sunday night after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer issued a statement about the use of the British colours during Saturday’s marches in London attended by Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, aka Tommy Robinson.
The Prime Minister posted on X: “People have a right to peaceful protest.
“It is core to our country’s values.
“But we will not stand for assaults on police officers doing their job or for people feeling intimidated on our streets because of their background or the colour of their skin.
“Britain is a nation proudly built on tolerance, diversity and respect.
“Our flag represents our diverse country and we will never surrender it to those that use it as a symbol of violence, fear and division.”
A total of 24 people were arrested for a range of offences including affray, violent disorder, assault and criminal damage at the march.
A Cabinet minister added that the protest was a “klaxon call” for MPs to address immigration and other public concerns.
Business Secretary Peter Kyle said the Government is determined to “start to bring communities back together again” but he conceded so far it is “something that we have not solved”.
