Scotland’s Saltire under political focus
The flying of the Scottish Saltire has been under focus today after the SNP complained that there were no plans for flying the Saltire at the Scottish Parliament as a matter of course.
The Parliament will be officially opened on Saturday by the Queen after a procession of dignitaries down the Royal Mile to the Parliament, and the Scottish Executive stress that the Scottish flag will be flying.
Earlier today though, the SNP MSP Bruce Crawford called on Jack McConnell to ensure that the Scottish flag is flown day in and day out.
He claimed that UK Department of Culture, Media and Sport rules suggest that the Saltire will only be flown on certain days such as the Queens Birthday, Coronation Day, and the Queen’s Official Birthday, and that it will be flown in a subservient position to the Union Jack.
Mr Crawford said: “I cannot believe that here, in the new Scot’s National Parliament, we have one of the most distinctive buildings in Scotland and yet we are not going to fly our National flag outside 24/7.
“To have a ruling that says we can only fly our national flag on certain days, and days of Westminster’s choosing at that, is insulting to the Scottish people and will be met with utter amazement by the thousands of visitors from overseas who will want to visit this building. They will ask what sort of national parliament cannot even fly its own nation flag.
“We must take every opportunity to promote Scotland at home and abroad and the new parliament building can help show case what’s best in Scotland. The Government’s own research proved recently that the Saltire is Scotland’s most recognisable and potent symbols abroad, yet they decide not to fly it at our national Parliament.”
A spokesman for the Scottish Parliament however told politics.co.uk that the flag would most definitely be flown at the opening ceremony and added that the Parliament does not follow Department of Culture, Media and Sport policy directly, for example not flying flags on all the specified royal birthdays.
He said: “The Parliament shall be flying two Saltires at Holyrood on Saturday. The order of flags on the five flag poles outside the Main Hall in Horse Wynd shall be: European Union flag, the Saltire, the Royal Standard, the Union flag and the Saltire.
“The Parliament’s practice has been to fly flags on days such as United Nations Day, Commonwealth Day, Europe Day, St Andrew’s Day and on visits by Heads of States.
“At the Mound, where there was two flag poles, our practice was to fly the Saltire alongside the relevant flag for that occasion.
He added that the issue of flag flying is expected to be reviewed before the end of the year now that the parliament is settling into the Holyrood site.
