Flying

The flag does not have reflection symmetry, due to the slight pinwheeling of St Patrick's cross, which is technically called the counterchange of saltires. Thus, it has a right side and a wrong side up. To fly the flag the correct way up, the broad portion of the white cross of St Andrew should be above the red band of St Patrick (and the thin white portion below) in the upper hoist canton (the corner at the top nearest to the flag-pole), giving the Scottish symbol precedence over the Irish symbol. This is expressed by the phrases wide white top and broad side up.

Upside Down

Traditionally, flying a flag upside down is understood as a distress signal. In the case of the Union Flag, the difference is so subtle as to be easily missed by many. Indeed, some people have displayed it upside down inadvertently.

On 3 February 2009, the BBC reported that the flag had been inadvertently flown upside-down by the UK government at the signing of a trade agreement with Chinese premier Wen Jiabao. The error had been spotted by readers of the BBC news website who had contacted the BBC after seeing a photograph of the event.

Correct dimensions of the Union Jack

Name and Shame

June 2012

RED-FACED police chiefs have issued an apology after it emerged a town centre station was flying the Union Jack flag upside down.

Retired policeman Paul Walker spotted the blunder outside the cop shop in Combe Street while in Hemel Hempstead



http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/community/local-services/lost-friends/cop-shop-flies-union-jack-upside-down-1-3451434

May 2012

Colchester MP Sir Bob Russell yesterday released images of the flag flying above Colchester Conservative Club (CCC) after it was spotted by a constituent.

The Lib Dem used the error to attack Colchester Tories saying it was an “inexcusable”.


http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/jubilee_colchester_mp_sir_bob_russell_hits_out_at_inexcusable_upside_down_flag_error_1_1395590

2009

In 2009 the flag was flown upside down during a trade deal signing involving Gordon Brown, Trade Secretary Peter Mandelson and Chinese premier Wen Jiabao



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1135545/Embarrassment-No10-Union-Jack-flies-upside-down.html

Spotted...

If you spot any examples of the Union Jack being flown upside down please email a photo (with your name,if you wish to be credited) to and we will publish it on this page

The information on this page was taken from Wikipedia