Walking down Whitehall the other day on a beautiful summer’s evening, it struck me what Gordon Brown’s positive legacy will be: the flags flying on top of public buildings. When Brown first suggested the idea last July I was rather sceptical, but looking up Whitehall and seeing the various Union Jacks fluttering in the breeze I was thoroughly won over.
I doubt that any government will reverse this move—there’s too much risk of negative publicity—so it will be a permanent change. I am sure Brown would prefer his positive legacy to be based on a rather more significant achievement, but when he returns to Downing Street for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012 he’ll at least be able to point to something good that he did as Prime Minister that has lasted.
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