As Gordon Brown and Business Secretary Lord Mandelson met with Chinese premier Wen Jiabao on Monday the 2nd February 2009 to sign a trade agreement, they were unaware that they sat before an upside down Union Flag.

What may have appeared to be a design mistake, a lapse in protocol or even a blunder was made all the worse, as no-one representing the country seemed to notice. Was there a hidden truth in this blunder, perhaps, for it is widely accepted that a flag hung upside down represents 'A Nation In Distress'.

It was the former DUP Leader the Reverend Ian Paisley whilst sitting as an MEP, had to highlight to the Europeans many years ago that they too had hung the Union Flag the wrong way, and pointed out the meaning of such an act. 

Is hanging the Union Flag the wrong way such a big deal, if we were not involved in wars around the world, if we were not in a so called war on terror, if individuals and families had not paid the ultimate sacrifice, if we were not in such dire economic conditions, then perhaps not, but we are. It did not take long for the nation to spot what those elected to represent us did not and outraged by such an act they flooded the Downing Street switchboard with complaints.

As such an apologetic Downing street made all the right public noises in any attempt to appease public outrage, they confirmed an investigation had been launched into the incident.

The Union flag also referred to by many as the Union Jack has been in use since the Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland came into force in 1801 and is made up from component countries, the St George Cross, representing England, the St Andrew Cross representing Scotland and a red diagonal cross representing Ireland. The flag should be displayed “broad side up”, when the thick white section of the diagonal cross nearest the flagpole is placed above the thin red band. The thinner white line of the St Andrew’s Cross must be placed below the red band.

Last Updated: 4th February 2009