NEAR MUTINY OVER CHANGES TO RED ENSIGN

(Hexham Courant, JANUARY 2004)

Despite the fact that Tynedale is a land-locked area I am sure it will interest Courant readers to hear about a campaign mounted by British Conservative MEPs last week against a decision to force the European flag to be added to the Red Ensign. This ridiculous suggestion had been passed through the European Parliament's Transport Committee as an amendment to what started out as a fairly uncontroversial piece of legislation.

The amendment passed in the committee required that 'ships registered in a Member State shall display the emblem of the European Union, i.e. a circle of 12 gold stars on a square blue background, in a corner of their flags'. Along with my colleagues I voted to delete the erroneous amendment and I am glad to report that common sense has prevailed and there will be no change to the 'Red Duster' and it will stay as it has always been since its inception in 1864.

This was simply another attempt to force the EU identity onto Member States. There was absolutely no justification for the compulsory display of the EU symbol on the Red Ensign as it would not have enhanced security or ease of identification. I was also concerned that, if the amendment was passed, it would be the thin end of the wedge and it would only be a matter of time before the White Ensign of the Royal Navy came under threat as well.

A Flag is an important symbol, one that alludes to the history and traditions of those it represents, and the Merchant Fleet has proudly sailed under the Red Ensign for the best part of 150 years. To have deleted this symbol for the sake of the political goals of a few euro-idealists would rightly have inspired a real mutiny, not just in the European Parliament, but right across the country. However, it is, in my view, a great shame that the British Labour and Liberal Democrat members supported this amendment in the Transport Committee. A century and a half of British tradition obviously means nothing to them.

Martin Callanan MEP
North East; Conservative