Citizens of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland woke up this morning in a UK unchanged and never to be the same again. The Westminster government (and many in what so nearly became ‘the rest of the UK’) will breathe a collective sigh of relief. Yet politicians of all shades will be aware that their […]
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Will Australia’s flag change if Union is redrawn?
Will Australia’s flag change if the Union Flag is redrawn? The answer is a resounding no, says John Vaughan. A government-approved public competition chose the Australian National Flag in 1901. It is registered under law as the chief national symbol of Australia. The Commonwealth Parliament approved and passed into law the Flags Act 1953. After […]
UK Flag design: comments
With Scotland’s independence vote fast approaching, the Flag Institute is busy answering press enquiries from around the world. As the UK’s national vexillological association, our role is to inform public debate about flags. So we do our best to reply to every one. We conducted one such interview for the Mail on Sunday. Read the […]
NZ Flag: speech at Victoria University
In a speech at Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has launched his proposal for a referendum on the nation’s flag. You can read the speech here. It is a most impressive, thoughtful and statesmanlike view of the significance of a national flag in the life of a country, demonstrating very clearly its […]
DCLG flys Cornwall Flag to celebrate St Piran’s Day
Cornwall has a proud heritage, a distinct Celtic identity and language, a strong mining past and modern fishing industry. St Piran is the patron saint of Cornish tin miners, and Cornwall celebrates St Piran’s Day each year on 5 March. Festivities and parades began in the late 19th and early 20th century and have become increasing […]
‘We are not encouraging a change to the flag’
The Flag Institute, the UK’s national vexillological association, recently polled its members regarding a change in the Union Jack if Scotland becomes independent. Almost 65 per cent of respondents wanted to see a change. And after the poll, suggested replacements for the flag flooded in. We are not advocating changing the flag. We are not […]
Flags at half-mast for Nelson Mandela
Following the death of President Nelson Mandela on 5 December, No. 10 has announced that flags will fly at half-mast on Friday 6 December. If normal protocol is followed, flags should also fly at half-mast on the day of his funeral. On both occasions, the South African flag can fly at half-mast alongside the Union […]
BBC ‘deluged’ with designs in Flag Institute-inspired debate
A ‘deluge’ of flag designs has flooded the BBC following a national conversation sparked by the Flag Institute. What should happen to the UK Flag should Scotland vote for independence? While some of the designs were inevitably lighthearted, many made a serious attempt to address what is a tricky and fascinating discussion.
65% think the Union Flag should change if Scotland leaves
In a recent Flag Institute survey, almost 65 per cent of respondents think the Union Flag SHOULD change if Scotland becomes independent. The Scottish Government plans to hold a referendum of the Scottish electorate on Thursday 18 September 2014. It will ask the question, ‘Should Scotland be an independent country?’ As the UK’s national vexillological […]
Symbols of sovereignty: the national flag
Captain Malcolm Farrow OBE RN, President of the Flag Institute, has released a paper examining UK symbols of sovereignty. Read the full paper here: https://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farrow_Symbols-of-Sovereignty_September-2013.pdf
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