Scotland's new symbol found...the Saltire

Published on Sunday 27 June 2004 02:45

SCOTLAND has an inspiring new symbol - created using £300,000 of public cash - to promote the country abroad. It features a white, diagonal cross on a blue background and will be called... the Saltire.

Hold on a minute. Isn’t that the very same design that has been a proud symbol of Scottishness for almost 1,200 years? Isn’t it already on flags flying from hundreds of major buildings? Isn’t it imprinted on the consciousness of five million Scots at home, and more abroad?

Well, yes, but that hasn’t stopped the Scottish Executive spending a third of a million pounds and many weeks canvassing world opinion on what should be the ultimate symbol of Scottishness, and deciding: it is the cross of St Andrew.

First Minister Jack McConnell will announce details of a new campaign this week to sell Scotland to the world, as part of his bid to boost the nation’s flagging population.

But instead of creating a trendy new logo previously beloved of ministers, he is to announce that the government will rely on the tried and trusted national flag.

Many Scots would - without charging a penny - have suggested to McConnell that the Saltire is an appropriate world symbol for Scotland.

Instead, the Scottish Executive employed no fewer than four marketing agencies which together were paid 310,000 to reach the same conclusion.

Having scoured the globe speaking to people from India to the Czech Republic, the groups reported that "people regard the Saltire as Scotland’s national symbol".

Buoyed with this knowledge, McConnell this week will announce how he hopes to capitalise on such positive images in order to lure more talented foreigners and expat Scots to live here.

The positive symbolism of the Saltire will be capitalised on in the drive as much as is possible.

A flag will be sent to every British embassy, consulate and public building, and officials will be asked to fly the Saltire when appropriate - for example, when a member of the Scottish Executive is visiting.

A precedent was set earlier this year when the British embassy in Paris flew the Saltire during the celebrations to mark the 100th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale.

As many as 500 Saltires could thus be flying across the world at any one time, it is estimated.

The research which kicked off the sudden rush to embrace the Saltire began earlier this year when four agencies, Union Advertising, Barkers Advertising, TNS System 3 and Corporate Edge, were hired to find out what the average foreigner thought of Scotland.

The research discovered they were largely positive, although it also showed that stereotypical Braveheart images of the nation still prevail.

A Scottish Executive official said: "Just as the South African flag belongs to everyone in South Africa, the Saltire transcends political controversies - it is a symbol of confidence and pride. It is a symbol of a new Scotland.

"It is a symbol of national unity and is recognisable to Scots everywhere, whether they live in Aberdeen or Adelaide. It is an important part of our image of ourselves as Scots. It says modern Scotland, but it is also rooted firmly in our history. That is why we will use the Saltire as the symbol for our campaign."

Flag experts said last night that the use of the Saltire to promote Scotland was common sense.

Ian Sumner, assistant editor of the Flagmaster magazine, said: "What else would the government choose? Some awful trendy logo which would go out of fashion in a few months? Or a thistle or some tartan? Far better to have this."

Sumner said the Saltire was a classic among flags, largely because of its simplicity.

"To test whether a flag is well designed you have to ask whether a child could draw it. It’s not complicated and that is why it is memorable," he said.

"Also, there is little confusion about its identity. There is a Saltire in Jersey which is red on white, but people recognise the Scottish Saltire - unlike other flags which are hard to remember. For example, Romania’s flag is now the same as Chad’s, while Monaco and Indonesia are both red over white."

He added: "Nor has it been taken over by the far-right wing like the St George’s Cross in England so it doesn’t have those connotations. It doesn’t have any political connotations."

Brian Monteith, the Scottish Conservatives’ finance spokesman, said: "Only a week ago, the First Minister said we needed more efficiency and more savings in the public sector. Now he illustrates one of the most crass wastes of money imaginable.

"Next he will be telling us that the thistle is our national flower, that the tartan kilt is our national dress and that a navy blue top is our national kit. I can assure him for free that this is already the case."