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Government buildings to fly union jack continuously under new rules

Flag currently flown about 20 times a year will act as ‘proud reminder of our history’, culture secretary says
The union flag should be flown from all UK government buildings every day and councils will be urged to do the same from their premises, ministers have announced, in another apparent escalation of the ongoing flag-based culture war.
The flag is currently raised on government buildings on only about 20 “designated days” a year, covering national saints’ days across the UK nations and a selection of royal occasions, primarily the birthdays of senior family members.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), however, released new guidance on Wednesday stating that the union jack should be flown every day, apart from times when a single flagpole is otherwise occupied, whether by another UK flag or flags to mark particular events.
The flag will act as “a proud reminder of our history and the ties that bind us”, the culture secretary, Oliver Dowden, said.
The press release announcing the change stresses the more ubiquitous role of national flags in other countries, notably the US, but the timing of the move appears part of ongoing government efforts to associate itself with a more overt union-based nationalism.
The increasing fondness of ministers to ensure that a union flag is part of their home or office backdrop for TV interviews turned into a mini-row last week when the BBC Breakfast presenters Charlie Stayt and Naga Munchetty were chastised for gently teasing the communities secretary, Robert Jenrick, about his carefully positioned flag.
To coincide with the DCMS announcement, Jenrick has called on local authorities to routinely fly the union jack, saying people would “rightly expect” to see it on top of all civic buildings.
Jenrick’s department has amended regulations to allow “dual flagging”, in which two flags are flown from one pole.
The new regulations will not apply to Northern Ireland, where there is particular legislation about flying flags from government buildings, given the cultural and political context of the region.
Responding to the announcement, Scottish National party MP Mhairi Black said: “This idea seems to have been inspired by Tory ministers watching an episode of the Thick of It, rather than a serious government.
“If the Tories think an overload of union jacks on buildings is the answer to promote the strength of the union, then it shows how thin the case for the union is. Flags won’t undo the poverty and hardship the Tories have created over the last decade.”
The regulation in England that allowed the EU flag to be flown on public buildings without planning permission has also been abolished. In its place, such approval will be granted for NHS-related flags.
The union flag has traditionally played a less prominent role in UK-wide politics, but it has seemingly become a key area of concern in recent weeks for some Conservative MPs and ministers.
Jenrick tweeted last week that he was always proud to fly the union jack after Stayt ended an early-morning interview by joking that the flag in his office was “not up to standard-size government interview measurements”. Munchetty apologised for pressing “like” on tweets that had mocked the flag backdrop mania, and both were subsequently “spoken to” by BBC bosses.
The Conservative MP James Wild used the appearance of the BBC’s director general, Tim Davie, before a parliamentary committee on Monday to berate him for a lack of union flags in the corporation’s annual report.
Wild said: “Maybe, in the annual report for this year, perhaps, you could include some imagery around the union flag. It might be welcomed by some of my constituents.”
source: Peter Walker
Levant
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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