Through this misty photo of Edinburgh Castle you can just see a flag flying. One flag? Aye, only one flag and that of the Union.
Please sign this petition to the Scottish Parliament which calls upon it to urge the Scottish Government, who own Edinburgh Castle, to instruct Historic Scotland (who manage the site) to erect a 90ft flagpole in Crown Square at the Castle from where a Saltire, Scotland's national flag, will be flown on a permanent basis.
People have been asking for this for years, but now it has been put forward in a petition it cannot be ignored. The Parliament must make a decision and make it publicly available.
Help right a wrong.
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38 comments:
I thoroughly agree and have duly signed.
I'm surprised Subrosa that this was never the case.
WHY?
The English national flag is the St George's Cross and yet it is the union flag that fly's over all Government and public buildings in England nobody whinges(unlike the whinging Nationalists).
And you well know the union flag must at all times be in the higher(superior) postion..
I suspect some Nationalist mischief making going on here as ever!
conan will be along later no doubt to add a large dollop of nationalist stirring
Quite right S/R it is a disgrace. Historic Scotland is an arm of the Scottish Government that does not own Edinburgh Castle or indeed any of Scotland’s ancient monuments. We the people of Scotland own them and HS is charge as being their custodian. To that end they are resistant to change of any kind. Regrettably they seem to take their duty of care to mean preserving things in aspic instead of making them accessible and subject to the wishes of the people. Like any Government body they have a tendency to preserve the status quo and maintain their own vested interest.
English Heritage on the other hand is a Quango that is expected to pay its way and is thus much more open to new initiatives that would maximise the use of buildings in their care. I’m not saying that this model is perfect, it’s not. EH have been charged with running things a bit like Disney land and chasing after a fast easy buck.
It's been flown on occasion I know JJ, but perhaps that was when a Scottish regiment was based in the castle. Have looked for further information but didn't find much.
Erm Niko, all flags are equal you know. We've had this discussion before and of course Conan will put in his pennyworth. :)
Signed SR!
Ah Munguin, I didn't know English Heritage was organised so differently. Thanks for the explanation. Hysterical Scotland, as you say, is more concerned with keeping their jobs and doing their jobs and steadfastly refuse to show any initiative.
Well done Tris. Many thanks.
Will sign, Subrosa. Thanks for drawing this to my attention.
You rightly show the Union Jack flying in your most recent article on Afghanistan. We are at present a part of the United Kingdom; our service forces take more than their fair share of those obligations; and we share the grief for every life lost.
Think about that Mr. M. when you talk about Nationalist mischief.
I'm surprised that the Saltire isn't flown. I would have assumed it would be, and can see nothing wrong with it - if the Scot need reassurance, then we must act immediately to reassure and comfort the Scottish folk that he is indeed in Scotland, with a big easy to understand symbol, and not Truro, or Bulawayo. I've signed.
A Sassenach.
Yes of course HM Forces must work under the Union Jack Hamish but Scotland's most famous castle does not belong to the rest of the UK, only Scotland.
Quite right, Hamish.
... and when we see footage of units of our armed forces commanded to go about a dangerous task by other folk's foreign adventurism in the name of whatever.
...we often spot a Scottish flag on personel, personel carriers or a tank or two. So if our scottish lads and lassies choose our flag to represent them in foriegn fields, alongside and with that union rag
...why the reluctance with the stay at home, armchair jobsworths to display the same enthusiasm with our national emblem as do our fighting ambassadors abroad on active service? Would one not consider that to be an insult both to them and to their ain folk at home? Particulary when the building in question just merely happens to house our national collective mermorial to fallen Scots going about dangerous enterprises at the command of others.
I think there is a distinct lack of respect being displayed by those armchair jobsworths here. I also think self interest in their own opinions of themselves and their misguided importance of their entrenched ignorance of what is right and proper take presidence over decency and repect for others, particularly for those who gave their all for us.Irrespective of the likes and dislikes of armchair jobsworths, then and now.
Ah Topper how kind, especially when you have an aversion to countries flying their national flag.
Perhaps you feel all European countries should only fly the EU one. :)
" Scotland's most famous castle does not belong to the rest of the UK, only Scotland."
It's owned by the Ministry of Defence so by rights it's not Scottish property. The UK government have formal control over it as defence isn't a devolved matter.
Historic Scotland will probably put up a saltire to keep the natives happy but it won't mean it's Scottish.
I'm more concerned that the land it stands on, the icon of protection and the people it represents, breathe the air of a free Scotland.
Mr McGeddon:
Seems that even our own castle in our own capital belongs to someone else.
Sad.
"The natives" might, I suppose, be satisfied with our flag flying over our castle in our capital, but I won't be happy till there is no sign anywhere of the tasteless garish colours of occupation.
If the UK has to have a flag, could it not have one that looks like a messy explosion in a paint factory.
tris
Yes it is sad. But that's where we are. Only Independence would change the situation.
The rusting hulks of nuclear subs leaking into the Forth at Rosyth are another thing we can't do anything about.
Aye Mr McGeddon... to blow them up would be a bit of an own goal, I can't help but think!
tris
yes that would lead to ARMcGeddon ;)
... and Hamish;
In the days of yore when adventurous Scots travelled the world under the union rag's auspices,as in Empire. Many left dire poverty and penuric circumstances behind them to improve their lot, be it in the service of the crown or on private ventures to explore or to settle on pastures new; Did they not name those places they founded, those rivers and valleys they traversed, those hills and mountains they conquered in foreign places in rememberance of English towns such as Perth,Dundee, Airdrie. Did those adverturous Scots not name villages, rivers,valleys, hills and mountains in rememberance of places they left? English place names perhaps?
...and all over the world today, the inhabitants of those places now fly that Union Jack alongside their national emblem to celebrate the connection between Scotland and themselves.
Oh yes they do, I'm sure they do. Just goes to show what the having of perceptions,dislikes and indulgencies in certain opinionated affiliations can produce by way of ignorance and lack of respect for other folk.Particulary in this instance by institutionalised armchair jobsworths.
...and that flag they fly alongside their national flag in the Perths, the Dundees, the Airdries in foreign places with respect, awareness and perhaps fond affiliation to is not quite the whole Union jack but mibee a constituent part of it. A stand alone part in it's own right as our national emblem representing our nation, our country and our ain folk whatever our diversity, it is our flag and represents us. leastways.
SR
Signed, and work for Lizzie under the butcher's apron I have no other avenue open to me if I wish to serve Scotland.
That said, we are given 8.5% of Defence spending which hasn't happened over the last 4 years of Labour, Scotland was denied £4.5Bn of her share of Defence Spending.
Funny how we have more decommissioned subs sat alongside in Scotland compared with rest of the remaining countries collectively - again not the 8.5 % based on population.
Another Union dividend, I think not.
Fly the Saltire above the Rock, end of discussion.
CD
Hip Hip Hurray! SR, thanks fer pyntin oot thon petition, ma signature's oan it noo an' ah'm a bit happier.
Ah see that Union rag flutterin there daily, an' ye ken, it breaks ma heart, every single day. The day they swap it fer Scotland's real flag, is the day ah ken we've regained oor pride in oorsels, an' ownership o' oor nation. It may ony be a flag fleein in the wind tae some fowk, but it's sae visible, sae prominent, sae symbolic, that it means a hale lot mair tae me an' ma kind.
Ah actually clapped when ah read ma pal tris's comment at 13.39. Gaun yersel son, we'll manage that yin day. Heeeuch!!
From some of the comments, it appears I didn't express myself clearly.
I did start by saying that I would sign the petition.
Of course the Saltire should fly over Edinburgh Castle and other public buildings here. And they are our buildings, whoever has their hands on the title deeds.
The point I was trying to make is that there are contexts where the Union Jack is the appropriate flag. I thought this was well illustrated in the latest of Subrosa's poignant posts on Afghanistan. Whether you support the Union or not (I don't), whether you support the war in Afghanistan (I don't), those forces and their families (English, Scottish, Welsh, and others) deserve our support.
If 10 Downing St can fly a St George's Cross, why can't a Scottish castle fly a Saltire?
Of course the reason is that the Castle is still a British Army base, so the Union Flag must fly the highest.
Now, if it were a Scots Army base...
Done - and so we will be no doubt!
crazy daisy
takes the kings shilling then betrays him alongside his comrades...
I spit on him a traitor to both the British nation which he took an oath to protect and the Scottish nation which he does not have the guts to fight for.
Me too RA. For unionists to claim it as 'their own' is a step too far.
Yoohoo CD, that's it in a nutshell isn't it? To serve your country you have to do it under the banner of a controlling country.
End of discussion indeed!
Sophia, thankfully I seldom see that but it wud pit meh ire up I tell ye.
What is it with our Scottish politicians that they can't insist our flag flies?
Unionism I expect yet I'm sad the SNP don't shout about it more - but of course they have in the past.
If I recall, this all happened when an English regiment took residence in the castle some years ago. The first time in history.
Hamish, don't be upset. You know the flag is an emotional issue and because of that fact some may have not quite 'got the gist' of your comment. I'm sure they didn't mean to criticise now they know the full story.
What can I say Conan?
As history says it's always been a Scots army base until recently but it's always flown the Union Jack and I'm told the Saltire on occasions. Now London have decided to base English regiments there. because they want to rid themselves of Scottish regiments (and they're doing a good job) then the Saltire doesn't matter.
We can but protest Dram. Shall we take to the streets? The disruption with the trams project makes that kind of impossible,
Of course that was another unionist decision to have the one tram line disrupt the city for years. In a few generation's time it'll be done away with because it new technology will usurp it.
What a waste.
We can but protest Dram. Shall we take to the streets? The disruption with the trams project makes that kind of impossible,
Of course that was another unionist decision to have the one tram line disrupt the city for years. In a few generation's time it'll be done away with because it new technology will usurp it.
What a waste.
RA, we're a region of Europe as you know. The only way London can stamp there authority is by such petty, insulting objectives.
Ms Pangloss, I forgot you'd see oor castle every day. Thank you for signing.
SR
Mr Mixed letters is very brave sat behind a keyboard. Bet he isn't man enough to spit on me in reality! For the record tough guy I swore nothing, I signed the Official Secrets Act.. Just a thought but have you been drinking Kaliber? You seem a little mixed up and cowardly?
You are right, my line managers know exactly my thoughts and they are very aware of my political position. I hide nothing. That said interesting that a Unionist poster takes offence at a straight forward opinion which is mine to opine.
Have a lovely day Madame.
CD
I'm thinking about setting up an alternative position calling for the construction of a huge new flagpole from which will fly a giant-size Union flag, of similar proportions to those flown in various Arab capitals.
We are talking MASSIVE.
On the other hand, we could all choose to forget such a blatant waste of money.
Feel free sm753. You're perfectly entitled to propose such a thing.
A flag pole for our national flag on a national monument is not a waste of money in my view. If you think that is the case, then the upkeep of the flag pole flying the Union Jack is too.
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