The Union Flag - Still A Powerful Symbol, Even At Half-Mast

We normally think of the Union Flag as a symbol of pure, glorious and traditional Britishness, flown as a celebratory gesture at important national and international occasions - sporting fixtures, royal celebrations, historical events and the like. Indeed, during the year of 2012 the Union Flag indelibly etched its presence into our national psyche for three big reasons. During the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, the Royal Wedding and the London 2012 Olympics we all revelled in a proliferation of joyous flag waving and fluttering bunting that brought out all that's best in our support of national heritage.

But this week the Union Flag has featured in the news media for an altogether different reason. It's been shown flying at half-mast to mark the passing of Baroness Margaret Thatcher. An occasion that one would have thought should be a solemn and sad event has been turned into a series of demonstrations and rowdyism by people who have harboured a positive grudge against 'the iron lady' for a considerable number of years.

The Union Flag has been shown, most notably flying at half-mast at her place of work for so many years during the eighties - the Houses of Parliament. It was from this building though that she made so many apparent enemies, many of whom have surfaced this week to demonstrate their unabashed enjoyment at the death of an old lady who garnered a lot of respect from very many people worldwide during her lifetime. She died on Monday 8 April at the Ritz Hotel in London, from a stroke at the age of 87. But later in the day, it was reported that 'street parties' had occurred in places as far apart as west Belfast and Londonderry, Glasgow, south London and Bristol.

Sinn Fein leader, Martin McGuinness stated his objections to them by saying, "People should resist celebrating the death of Margaret Thatcher. She was not a peacemaker but it is a mistake to allow her death to poison our minds." Meanwhile, the DUP's Jonathan Bell said that the celebrations of her death were 'disappointing and disgusting'. He echoed the thoughts of many of us by adding, "While we all differ and argue over history and that's acceptable and part of the normal political discourse, there should be a dignity and a respect in death for a woman who has had a stroke, whose two children and grandchildren are mourning the loss of a life".

The Northern Ireland Office meanwhile has confirmed that the Union Flag will be flown at half-mast in the country on the day of Baroness Thatcher's funeral. Let's hope that the day will see a little more humility on such a sad occasion, regardless of extremes of political feeling.

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