OF all the claptrap and balderdash which has surrounded the fake news of the Union flag story, one thing stood out, and that was the sheer ignorance of history — deliberate or otherwise — of Scotland’s Unionist media who as usual tried to peddle Tory lies and were caught out by their own lack of knowledge.
For it was Her Majesty the Queen, no less, who personally approved the flying of the Lion Rampant over Government buildings on high days and holidays, and that was eight years ago. Going to tell her she was wrong, chaps? No, thought not, and once again we have a demonstration of the mendacity of the Unionist press, who will stoop beneath gutter tactics to attack Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP Government and all supporters of independence.
READ MORE: Tories create 'fake news' with claims over Scotland's Union flag policy
As an object lesson in how to annoy almost half the population of Scotland, this pathetic peddling of piffle takes the biscuit.
Not for the first time, Her Majesty was spot on in her decision back then, because the Lion Rampant is the Royal Banner of Scotland, and was so some three centuries before the St George’s Cross — borrowed from the Northern Italian crusaders — became the official flag of England in the 16th century.
In heraldic terms, the Lion Rampant is the correct flag to fly on all royal and sovereign-declared occasions except Remembrance Sunday which is rightly seen as marking a time when all four countries of the UK united to fight wars. And just as a matter of fact, the Union flag is part of the flags flown in Scotland on Merchant Navy Day and Armed Forces Day — the Red Ensign and Armed Forces flags respectively — but hey, why let facts get in the way of a good Nat-knocking story.
Don’t forget the polls which time after time say the English public think the Union flag is their preferred emblem.
We are not a paper to insult Unionists by using the term ‘Butcher’s Apron’ to describe the Union flag, but why should Scotland be festooned in England’s red, white and blue when the Saltire is our national flag and the Lion Rampant is our royal banner?
This newspaper coined the term Union Jackery to describe the recent post-Brexit trend by most retailers to smother Scottish produce in the Union flag despite the damage that is causing to Scotland’s brands.
Yesterday we saw Union Jackery at its offensive worst, and at its most stupid, and the little Englanders in the Scottish media have outed themselves yet again.
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