Council bosses in Perth have moved to defuse a row over a “missing” Union flag at its new look city centre HQ.
The British national flag was noticeably absent from its usual spot at the top of the High Street building when it re-opened following a £10 million refurbishment.
And there was suspicion when flags of all other nations appeared on the High Street side of the building last week.
On Wednesday morning, the Union flag was returned to the building — but not at its traditional place. Instead, it has been moved round the corner, overlooking Tay Street, making it invisible from the High Street end.
Could this be an example of “pettiness” by the SNP-led administration, as one on-looker actually suggested?
The truth is far less sinister.
A council spokeswoman explained that while the building was shut for 18-months of re-construction, all flags were taken down with the exception with the Saltire.
The Scottish flag was left in place so that it could be flown at half-mast if needs be, during the renovation work.
“Contractors were in recently for two days to put up new flags and the Union flag was one of the final ones to be put up,” she said. “It has been moved from its former location due to access issues and the flag pole also needed to be completely refurbished.”
Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser said he had suspected there was an innocent explanation behind the flag’s non-appearance.
“Soldiers from across Perth and Kinross fought for our freedom under the Union flag and it needs to be raised to respect their memory,” he said.
“Perth and Kinross is home to people from across the UK and it’s important that we make them feel welcome, and that starts with flying our national flag.”
Although less visible from the city centre, the Union flag is now at the highest point of the building and can been seen from across the River Tay, one of the area’s most photographed viewpoints.
National guidelines state that the Union flag — and other national flags of Britain ù should be displayed in a “dignified manner” and should not be flown in a position inferior to any other flag or ensign.
Government buildings across the UK are encouraged to fly national flags every day of the year.
Union flag troubles
You don’t need permission to fly the Union flag, but that doesn’t mean it has never got anyone into trouble.
Sainsbury’s got into a spot of bother earlier this year, when customers at its Broughty Ferry store found packages of Scottish blueberries labelled with a Union flag.
The retailer was forced to issue a statement, stressing that it wasn’t following in Tesco’s footsteps and remove Saltires from its packaged fruit.
Last year, British athletes hit out over the absence of the Union flag on part of their kit during World Championships in Beijing.
Olympic long jump champion Greg Rutherford was the first to complain when he tweeted a picture of the kit’s top with the comment: “Well this isn’t right… Where’s the Union Jack!?!?”
And there was a row in April when the Union flag was flown upside outside the European Parliament in Brussels.
