The lesson of the Brexit referendum is that Johnson will need to make an emotional case for the union

A panicky raising of the flag, directly funding local projects in Scotland, the furlough scheme – and a successful vaccine rollout – won’t cut it, writes Andrew Grice

The flag will be flown every day from all government buildings in England, Scotland and Wales ‘as a proud reminder of our history and the ties that bind us’ (AFP via Getty)

There are no new ideas in politics, only old ones. After the Scottish independence referendum in 2014 proved a closer race than the UK governing class expected, Whitehall officials drew up plans to fly the union flag from government buildings in order to “learn lessons” and bolster support for the union. 

This week, the plan was revived: the flag will be flown every day at all government buildings in England, Scotland and Wales “as a proud reminder of our history and the ties that bind us”.

The move might discomfit Labour, but it won’t make any difference in Scotland, where Brexit has transformed politics since the 2014 vote. Back then, the Scottish National Party drew support from voters who wanted competence and further devolution, as well as people backing independence, and from Remainers and Leavers in equal measure.