Welsh Gov won’t intervene in decision to green light Union Jack on Cardiff tax office
The Welsh Government won’t intervene in a decision to green light the plastering of a 100ft Union Jack on a Cardiff tax office.
The decision by Cardiff Council to give the go-ahead to the “advertisement” on the side of the UK Government building has faced a fierce backlash and led grassroots pro-independence group YesCymru launch a petition which calls for the decision to be reversed.
First Minister Mark Drakeford has previously said that Westminster’s attempt to use the Union Jack to “reassert” its “authority” over Wales, will “end in tears”, but spokesperson for the Welsh Government told Nation.Cymru that this was a matter for the “local planning authority to determine”.
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’.
‘Display national flags’
When asked if it would intervene in the decision to allow the building to be branded with the Union Jack, a Welsh Government spokesperson told Nation.Cymru: “The display of a national flag falls outside the scope of the Advertisement Regulations and permission is not usually required.
“Where permission for an advertisement is required it is for the local planning authority to determine any application for consent.”
A UK Government spokesperson said: “Ty William Morgan is a significant UK Government building and is the first of its kind in Wales.
“As is practice with similar UK Government sites across the United Kingdom and around the world, it will feature the Union flag as part of its visual branding.
“The flag of Wales is flown at Ty William Morgan which also contains other specifically Welsh branding, while the name of the new building was chosen to reflect the UK Government’s investment in Wales and Welsh culture.”
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Another consequence of devoloution – the more that is given the more that is expected.Be proud of the flag of the U.K.!!
FM will flirt with a patriotic stance but when push comes to shove he’ll crumble every time. This is not just about the flag, it shows that WG won’t have the guts to defend Wales on far more important matters like the HST2 rip off for instance.
Absolute gonads! HS2 is not coming anywhere NEAR Cymru. The effects have been modelled and there will be a net £5bn LOSS to our economy as a result of jobs and contracts lost to t’Nurth of England . This building is not paid for by Westminster. The employees in it will not be paid for by Westminster. They will be paid for by the taxpayers of Cymru. “England” is not funding anything. So stop talking about things you don’t understand. People like YOU are the reason we want out of this festering toxic union. But thank you for your uneducated… Read more »
Clearly enough, point 2 is redneck tory effoff defiance but the rest is too nuanced for me. Could you unpack it? If it’s worth the effort …
Even if this is a matter for Cardiff council there is nothing to stop the Welsh labour govt from issuing a statement opposing this hair brained and incendiary move by the tory uk govt. It’s telling that Mark Drakeford’s govt has chosen to keep silent on the matter
Jelly on a plate!