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Cardiff Council give go-ahead for giant Union Jack to be stuck on tax office

30 Jun 2021 2 minute read
UK Government branding being applied to Ty William Morgan House, Cardiff Central Square.

Cardiff Council has given the go-ahead for a big Union Jack to be emblazoned on the city’s HMRC tax office.

The design will see a huge Union Jack flag graphic, which has been classed as an “advertisement”, wrapped around the outside of the landmark city-centre building.

The British banner will be made from perforated vinyl which will be applied to the surface of upper-level windows at the southeast corner of the building, according to WalesOnline.

The prominent branding comes amid a move towards “muscular unionism” by Boris Johnson’s government, which has also recently ruled the Union Jack must be flown above the Welsh flag and ordered civil servants to stop referring to “the four nations of the UK.”

The Tŷ William Morgan building was recently constructed in the city’s Central Square development, and is one of 16 new UK Government ‘hubs’.

Wales Secretary Simon Hart said Tŷ William Morgan, which provides offices for 4,000 civil servants but could also be used to host cabinet meetings, “shows the UK Government’s commitment to Wales and to strengthening the Union” when he officially opened the £100m building last January.

But the building sparked a constitutional backlash earlier this year when a large UK Government sign was applied to its façade. Nation.Cymru recently revealed that the branding cost almost £15,000.


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Charles Evans
Charles Evans
2 years ago

UK Government building has UK flag on it. A daft, culture war gesture and a total waste of money, but hardly something worth getting riled up about.

Steve Duggan
Steve Duggan
2 years ago
Reply to  Charles Evans

Ho but it is !

the don
the don
2 years ago
Reply to  Charles Evans

So, you’re happy for it to be replaced by y ddraig goch, or removed completely in order to save money.

Stephen Owen
Stephen Owen
2 years ago

Oh no, terrible idea.

Quornby
Quornby
2 years ago

Mmmph! London’s money box to pay for their Crossrail. Appropriate.

Anni Bin Iaith
Anni Bin Iaith
2 years ago
Reply to  Quornby

Wasn’t it once leaked that Cymru actually subsidises Lloegr to the tune of £8 billion pounds net that they lie to us about?

The sooner we are free from our coal and water being given for them to sell to Saudi Arabia at swollen profits, the better.

Our wind is next. An estimated 100% of England’s energy will come from Wales by 2022.

No wonder there are moves afoot for English Army patrols in the sea off Gwynedd.

Stephen Owen
Stephen Owen
2 years ago
Reply to  Anni Bin Iaith

If England had to pay for Welsh water Wales would be very rich, no wonder they want to keep us in the UK.

Anni Bin Iaith
Anni Bin Iaith
2 years ago
Reply to  Stephen Owen

It is all lies published on the BBC and UKGov website that Cymru gets paid for this

I know from my time in the offshore utilities world that the water from the Elan Valley is worth £365 billion per annum alone.

99% of it goes in pipes to be sold on.

The upshot?

Cymru is being deprived of being the most technolgically advanced and per capita richest country on the planet.

With a potential to provide a universal basic income of £75,000 to ever citizen.

Thank the English for that.

Stephen Owen
Stephen Owen
2 years ago
Reply to  Anni Bin Iaith

Yes very true.

Chris
Chris
2 years ago
Reply to  Anni Bin Iaith

£365 million I think

Wrexhamian
Wrexhamian
2 years ago
Reply to  Anni Bin Iaith

You’re making these figures up. Why? Everyone knows Wales’ predicament, but your assertions are so ludicrous there’s a suspicion you’re a BritNat troll masquerading as a concerned Welsh citizen in order to try to encourage someone to say something grauitously offensive. It all betrays a deep-seated hatred of Wales and its people.

Steve Duggan
Steve Duggan
2 years ago
Reply to  Stephen Owen

Don’t forget the electricity we also give them !!

Stephen Owen
Stephen Owen
2 years ago
Reply to  Steve Duggan

Yes

Cymro1959
Cymro1959
2 years ago
Reply to  Anni Bin Iaith

If you’re going to exaggerate, make it big and outrageous!
But I totally agree.

Chris
Chris
2 years ago

Stupid idea. But if the atrocious WM government want their Tax Embassy in the free Nation of Cymru to have a big garish multicoloured sphincter on it, then who are we to judge the crass cultures of that foreign power?
So long as THEY pay for the big window sticker, not us I couldn’t care less.

Gareth
Gareth
2 years ago

What a terrible idea, the English Jack wrapped around a building in the capital of Cymru. WM are really desperate but I think ti will have welcomed effect of increasing the desire for independence – the sooner the better

R W
R W
2 years ago
Reply to  Gareth

Amazing to think that the Tories believe everyone in Cymru will be brainwashed into loving GB by doing this. I suspect it will have the opposite effect.

Stephen Owen
Stephen Owen
2 years ago
Reply to  Gareth

Yes and more plastic waste when it needs to be replaced, I hope they take it back to England.

defaid
defaid
2 years ago
Reply to  Stephen Owen

Could we suggest taking the entire building across the border?

Carl Iwan
Carl Iwan
2 years ago
Reply to  Gareth

One would have thought that UK Government would have been concentrating on the post-Covid recovery rather than engaging in gestures that play to muscular unionism!

defaid
defaid
2 years ago
Reply to  Carl Iwan

Spot on!

Keri
Keri
2 years ago

Because this is what’s important now? Let’s waste money on wrapping a building in the Union Jack, when the NHS is underfunded, social care is underfunded, the school recovery programme is underfunded, children are going hungry in what’s supposed to be a civilised country and oh yes, there’s a pandemic on. It’s grotesque.

Stephen Owen
Stephen Owen
2 years ago
Reply to  Keri

Yes terrible waste of money as well as more plastic rubbish.

Mark
Mark
2 years ago

you could say it’s rather appropriate that a building linked to removing money from Wales on behalf of Westminster, is branded with the butchers apron, at least it will be obvious where the enemy is when the time comes,

Stephen Owen
Stephen Owen
2 years ago
Reply to  Mark

Very good point, at least it will show Welsh people where their tax money goes.

Stephen Owen
Stephen Owen
2 years ago

More plastic rubbish when it needs to be replaced, I hope they take it back with them to England.

Stephen Owen
Stephen Owen
2 years ago

Makes me want independence even more 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Stuart Cane
Stuart Cane
2 years ago

Sheer desperation from the Tory government. Union Jack waving in Wales and Scotland isn’t going to win hearts and minds. Respecting devolution and treating the UK nations as equal partners would be better first steps.

Brian Coman
Brian Coman
2 years ago

The flag with no representation on it..along with the Royal Standard..with two English lions and one Irish Harp….I thought they had independence in 1921 …

defaid
defaid
2 years ago

Ein prifddinas? Rhag cywilydd.

hdavies15
hdavies15
2 years ago

This is no big deal. It’s an UK government agency so by all means stick the UK flag on there. More energy should be applied to evicting that agency and turning the building over to something more profitable and less “extractive”. Given the frivolity of the Boris regime UK will become a high tax economy sooner than later, whether that’s done through direct income taxes, VAT, Corporation Tax, or other less visible duties remains to be seen.

Wrexhamian
Wrexhamian
2 years ago

It was inevitable that the suits in Johnson “office for the union” would seize on this perfect opportunity for a bit of unonist “installation art”. I doubt it’s seriously hoped that the Welsh people will lean more sympathetically towards the UK as a result; it’s more likely to be intended to intimidate the Welsh Government and the Senedd into knowing their place, as well as reminding the populace who’s in charge here.

Huw Davies
Huw Davies
2 years ago

Brilliant tactical move by the UK Gov.. Everyone knows how much we all LOVE HMRC so putting the flag on the building means the UK Gov. can take all the credit for where our tax payments go. Those geniuses at Westminster. How can we possibly compete! Wasn’t there a song years ago about the tax people? I think it went something like Young man, there’s a place you can go I said young man, to give them all of your dough You can pay there, and I’m sure you will find The best way is to pay on time. It’s… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by Huw Davies
Jill Gough
Jill Gough
2 years ago

😂😅🤣🤢🤮

Dai Rob
Dai Rob
2 years ago

Do you think HMRC will be able to answer their phonelines better now, with the massive Butchers Apron on it?

Steve Duggan
Steve Duggan
2 years ago

The quicker we gain independence the quicker we can turn this monstrosity of a building into something that will benefit Cymru !

Dyn Cwm Rhymni
Dyn Cwm Rhymni
2 years ago
Reply to  Steve Duggan

Designed in England but probably going to be made in China.

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