Prank Welsh language message reacts to UK Government’s fly the flag decree

A UK Government order to fly the Union Flag on public buildings has led to a prank Welsh language message being left on a Town Hall in Monmouthshire.

The message posted on Grosmont Town Hall announces in English that after an order by Secretary of State for Culture Oliver Dowden the Union Flag should be flown “on a daily basis”.

But the same message in Welsh says that the Union Flag should instead be put in a politician’s bottom.

The message in English says: “In accordance with the directive of the Minister for Culture, the Rt Hon Oliver Dowden, notice is hereby given that a flagpole will be erected on Grosmont Town Hall such that the Flag of the Union can be flown on a daily basis. The flag will be raised for the first time on St George’s Day, 23rd April 2021, by the leader of the Conservative Party in Wales, the Rt Hon Andrew RT Davies.”

But in Welsh it read: “There was never a Minister as laughable as Rt Hon Oliver Dowden. Flag pole on the Town Hall. Does it get any more ridiculous. I would like to invite Rt Hon Andrew RT Davies to Grosmont on St George’s Day, 23 April, to put the union flag in his bum.”

@5357311 @YesCymru not being a Welsh speaker, it took me a while to discover the full glory of this notice on our town hall… pic.twitter.com/9vHxCGlEb5

— Huw Morgan (@HuwMorgan1) April 13, 2021

The message was sent to Huw Morgan of Bristol by his brother. He told Nation.Cymru that “I suspect that someone’s having us all on, in a very convincing way”.

Despite having the Monmouthshire logo it is not an official message from the council, they confirmed.

The translated notice caused much mirth on social media, with Clare Dowding saying: “That is absolutely spectacular! Do let us know how long it (the notice) manages to stay there, and whether the invitation is accepted.”

“The translator at Monmouthshire County Council deserves a medal and a raise,” Elen Williams said.

However, others suggested that the whole notice might be a prank. Guto Aaron asked: “Surely that’s got to be a joke? RT Davies unveiling it. St George Day. It’s too perfectly awful to be a real event… isn’t it?”