The Union Jacked
Potential changes in the UKs influence on the world.
I am abroad, watching MTV in my hotel room and reflecting on why the Union Jack flag appears in so many music videos — most of which are not by British artists. I guess this isn’t unusual, our flag is often scattered across popular culture as some sort of symbol of rebellion with its echoes of punk. On this short trip to Italy I have seen it presented on iPad covers, chairs, boots and even bins. All of which may have to change if Scotland chooses to leave the union in the referendum next September, ending the long history of the Union Jack flag.
The Union Jack was first introduced by James the 6th of Scotland in 1606, as he inherited England and Ireland and became King James the 1st. Ever since it has adorned our national assets. And now iPad covers, boots and bins.
It represents us more than any other design. Britain’s design icons like Big Ben, bowler hats, Hunter Wellies, Dyson vacuum cleaners, Burberry rain coats or Dr Martins, pale into insignificance up against the Union Jack. So many of our most famous musical icons have draped the flag around themselves — The Beatles, The Who, Oasis, The Rolling Stones.
Last year the UK was considered the world’s “Soft Power” leader — the country that is thought to influence the world indirectly through its culture (in contrast to the “Hard Power” of military might). A great deal of our “Soft Power” influence can be attributed to the 2012 Olympics. But our influence goes way beyond that. It includes our films, TV, music, architecture, art and design. We excel in creative exports.
The Design Council’s awards earlier this year highlighted the work that went into the Olympics from many of our greatest creative exporters. The Barber and Osgerby torch, the Stella McCartney kits, the Heatherwick cauldron to name but a few. Although these were great designs, it was the the winners of the Olympic events that the media championed and when these people won, what did they drape themselves in? The Union Jack. So in 20 years or so, when people look back at the 2012 Olympics they could be seeing the flag of a lost nation.
When Scotland votes and the Yes vote wins, the resulting break-up of the nation will be largely invisible to most people who live here. A few politicians will feel pleased with the political points they have gained but not much will change for peoples daily lives. The largest change for many people will be the disappearance of the Union Jack from public view and the consequent loss of kudos with global popular culture. This should not be taken lightly.
The knock on effect to our cultural influence might seem insignificant to Alex Salmond and David Cameron as they throw insults about where the navy are going to be based or which army battalions will be lost. The real losses will be to our Soft Power and these will be silent, remote and have infinitely more impact to our standing in the world. The evidence may be some other nation’s flag in a pop video or on the back of a bin. What might seem like a simple adjustment of colours on the flag will remove more than Scotland from the Union Jack. It will remove our national icon from the world stage and a lot of our influence along with it.
