According to the Courier of August 1, Dunbar Community Council’s chairman has proposed that the Union flag be flown permanently on Dunbar Town House.
He tries to justify this by saying that we are in the United Kingdom and the Union flag is the flag of the UK. Yes, but Scotland has been in the UK for over 300 years without the Union flag being flown in this way on the Town House, so why introduce it now?
Dunbar became a Royal Burgh in 1445 and the Town House, which dates from 1650, contains what is thought to be Scotland’s oldest functioning council chamber. There is absolutely no link between the building’s historic function and the Union flag, given that civic governance has always been a matter for Scotland alone.
Earlier this year, the community council applied for funding for a second flagpole to be erected on the Town House. The second flagpole allows other flags to be flown on special days of the year, which is a good thing for the town. For example, the Commonwealth flag can be flown to mark Commonwealth Day, and the United Nations flag flown to mark UN Day, etc.
The Union flag too has its place and should be flown on dates such as Armed Forces Day and Remembrance Sunday. However, there is no case for it to be flown permanently. Even Westminster, which issues guidance for flag-flying on UK Government buildings, does not seek that the Union flag be flown permanently – instead, its guidance lists a handful of dates such as The Queen’s birthday, when it can be flown.
The proposal is divisive and the community council should think again.
Martin Morrison James Court Dunbar
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