« EU Quote of the Day 25/06/07 | Bully Boys Bury Bad News on Stadium » |
SDLP Just As Bitter as Sinn Fein
... and their youth wing is equally petty.
Sorry, I've been in Lanzarote for 2 weeks so I've missed this gem. Apparently the SDLP youth (yes, they have one) leader has kicked up a bit of a stink (see also the BBC report) over Ulster's new Ikea store. What could possibly be bad about a cheap furniture shop? Economic concerns about smaller local retailers? Maybe environmental concerns? It must be something to do with employment practices.
[Image: GFDL 1.2]
Well no, it's something much more important. You see the artist's impression of the new store featured both the Union Flag and Northern Ireland flag alongside the Swedish flag. Those imperialist bastards! Ikea, like many other multinationals, make it a policy to fly the flag of their home country (Sweden) alongside the local national and, where applicable, regional flag outside their stores.
Thankfully, the SDLP youth wing have valiantly challenged this and saved us from the unthinkable: Northern Ireland being treated like the rest of the world. Ikea have thankfully stepped in and informed us that this is just how artist's impressions are done. A spokesman said "Ikea would like to reassure customers and co-workers that when the Belfast store opens towards the end of the year only the Swedish flag will feature on the outside of the building."
Well done SDLP Youth. Now we're left with the embarrassing situation that the only fag Ikea will fly at their store is a foreign flag. Well I for one will be refusing to buy furniture there until such time as they review this ridiculous decision and, at the very least, remove the Swedish flag. Don't get me wrong, I've nothing against Sweden, but I've a general interest in vexilology (and heraldry) and it's a matter of courtesy that when flying a foreign flag in a country that the local national flag is flown alongside, at the same height or higher. Anything less is insulting.