And while I'm in a mood to annoy folks......
It seems the Welsh have decided they want a new Union Flag. They're upset that they're lacking representation on the flag of the United Kingdom.
So, they've finally noticed then. Took them long enough.
Well here's the news for our Welsh brethren. The Welsh flag is part of the Union Flag. It's behind the other flags. No, really. That's one of those secrets that only the English, Scots and Irish know.
Wales is a principality, effectively annexed by the English in 1283.
Scotland was independent until it's union with England (& Wales) in 1707.
Northern Ireland, whether you believe it right or not, was created as part of the 1801 Union of Great Britain & Northern Ireland.
Thus there is no reason to have part of the Welsh flag on the Union flag - it's already there since Wales is, was and always has been part of the kingdom of Britain. The Scottish and the Northern Irish can have representation on the Union flag because they never rolled over and gave in.
Alternatively Wales could become an independent country.
Chief export?
Probably Welsh people looking for work in England.
"Wales is a principality, effectively annexed by the English in 1283"
ReplyDeleteEr, no, actually, mate, Wales was conquered by a bloody minded bastard who committed a number of war crimes as we'd term them today and far from rolling over there was some spirited fights back which gave the far larger English army a run for their money, including inflicting some crushing defeats on the English army.
The same pattern was attempted on Scotland during the Wars of Independence but through a mix of the good timing, luck, courage, leadership and the actual geography of Scotland (retreat behind the Clyde-Forth line, make the come to you at a soggy midpoint like Bannockburn then gie them laldy) meant the outcome here was different, but several times it could go either way.
So unfair to refer to Wales as a principality, it is a country and one which was subjected to invasion and a brutal conquest and occupation by a bloodthirsty monarch.
And yes, it is odd to bring the flag issue up now after all these centuries, but they are right, why isn't there a Welsh emblem on there? Not that the blinkered London establishment is likely to consider it. Maybe those of us in the Celtic fraternity have a different point of view on this whole area, he said, as he prepared to dance on some swords while wearing a kilt, drinking whisky and eating haggis to mark St Andrews Day tomorrow :-)
Come to think of it, we've had Union for 300 years yet the central bank is still called the Bank of England (despite being set up by a Scot!). Shouldn't it be the Bank of Britain (or BoB as we could call it)? I will remind you of this post when one day you campaign for independence for Yorkshire :-)
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