Scottish Independence has implications for the New Zealand Flag

New Zealand’s flag would look different without the Scottish Cross of St Andrew.

14.01.2012
Scotland is making moves to become independent of the United Kingdom, and their independence could change the flag of the UK and other nations whose flags incorporate the Union Jack.

If Scotland becomes fully independent of the UK, the Union Flag, or Union Jack, as it is commonly known, will become defunct, as the Union Jack incorporates the flags of England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, but interestingly, not Wales, which is also a part of the UK.

The Union Jack was created during the Union of the English and Scottish Crowns in 1606.

Full Scottish independence would mean removal of the Cross of St Andrew from the Union Jack.

This would have consequences for many nations, including Australia, New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Tuvalu, Niue, and the Republic of Fiji.  These nations incorporate the Union Jack in the top left hand corner of their flags. If Scotland achieves full independence, these flags would need to change as a result, as would various state flags within Canada, Australia, and even the United States, as the State of Hawaii also has a Union Jack based flag.

This may be the time for New Zealand to consider changing its flag, to something more relevant to our 21st century South Pacific nation, before events such as Scottish independence force change on us.

Kyle Lockwood/silverfernflag.org