Fury over topsy-turvy flag

DOWNING Street was forced into making a grovelling apology yesterday for displaying the Union Flag upside down during an official ceremony.

Gordon Brown seemed oblivious to the blunder Gordon Brown seemed oblivious to the blunder

Gordon Brown and Business Secretary Lord Mandelson seemed oblivious to the blunder during the signing of a trade agreement with Chinese premier Wen Jiabao on Monday.

But outraged TV viewers who spotted the error immediately flooded the Downing Street switchboard with complaints.

Critics yesterday described the mistake as “an unbelievable flaw in protocol”.

Last night, Downing street confirmed an investigation had been launched into the embarrassing mix up and insisted it would not happen again. A spokesman said: “It is regrettable that on this occasion the Union flag was not displayed correctly.

“We have looked into how this happened and have taken steps to ensure that it is correctly displayed at all times in future.”

The small plastic flag was on display in front of Lord Mandelson and the Prime Minister as the centrepiece at the No 10 signing ceremony. It was set up alongside a Chinese flag which was correctly displayed.

But the Union Flag, commonly described as the Union Jack, was hanging upside down.

The flag should be displayed “broad side up”, when the thick white section of the diagonal cross nearest the flagpole is placed above the thin red band.

The thinner white line of the St Andrew’s Cross or Saltire must be placed below the red band.

Retired engineer James Robinson, 70, told how he was outraged after seeing BBC news.

Mr Robinson, from Newcastle upon Tyne, said: “I couldn’t believe it. I spotted it straight away. It was so obvious. But there was Gordon Brown and Mandelson and they clearly didn’t have a clue.

“I think it’s disgusting. I’m sick to death of seeing the Union Flag the wrong way or upside down.

“It’s important, especially when you see our lads coming back from these war zones.

“It seems to happen more and more these days but I never thought we’d have a Prime Minister who didn’t know which way the Union Flag goes. It’s there right in front of him.”

Conservative MP Andrew Rosindell said: “It’s an unbelievable flaw in protocol by Number 10. You’d think they would know which way the flag was flown.

“Whoever is responsible for this should know better.”

Mike Kearsley, director general of the Flag Institute, said: “You would think people in Downing Street would recognise it because they see the flag so often.

“If we had flown the Chinese flag upside down it could have been quite a diplomatic problem.”

But some cynics believe it was an appropriate gesture by the failing Labour Government. Mr Kearsley explained: “Having the flag upside down historically was a sign of distress.

“You might have put it up on a fort to warn those in the know – other British forces – that there was trouble from the enemy.

Forces from other nations wouldn’t have noticed. It was like a sort of code.”

One internet blogger said: “I believe this is the recognised international symbol for incompetence. When flown from the mizzen it means ‘we’re going down, come aboard’.”

The Union flag has been in use since the Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland came into force in 1801. It is made up of the crosses of St George, representing England, St Andrew for Scotland and a red diagonal cross for Ireland.

Eight years ago diplomats protested after the flag was wrongly displayed on three separate occasions by French officials.

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