‘It Is A Gaffe, Isn’t It?’: Sky News Host Roasts Home Secretary On Upside Down Union Jack In Tory Election Video
Sky News host Kay Burley roasted Home Secretary James Cleverly over a clip from the first Conservative election broadcast that showed the Union Jack hanging upside down, a coded distress signal for ships at sea.
The video, focused on addressing the uncertain times fueled by the pandemic and international geopolitical insecurity, sought to highlight Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s leadership. The message, however, was overshadowed by the gaffe within minutes of the video’s release on Monday night. Social media users drew immediate attention to the error.
Naturally, viewers joked that the image was a reflection on the Conservative Party election prospects. The gaffe followed a day in which Nigel Farage had returned to politics as Reform UK leader, Liberal Democrats hijacked a Sunak campaign visit and the publication of a YouGov poll predicting a historic defeat for the Tories.
Having covered the poll, which also found many senior Tories losing their seats, Burley brought up the flag gaffe. Despite Cleverly’s uncomfortable best efforts to deflect the question, Burley pressed repeatedly.
Cleverly, himself a former Army officer, dismissed the idea that the upside-down flag signified distress as “complete nonsense.”
Burley asked: “It doesn’t mean a distress signal?”
The Home Secretary replied: “No, it doesn’t. It really doesn’t.”
The host pressed: “I did check with Top Brass and they told me it did.”
Cleverly attempted to redirect focus to the message of the broadcast: “It really doesn’t. It really doesn’t. And the point is that the video is about our commitment to protect the British people.”
“Are you going to recut it?” Burley asked.
Cleverly continued: “…It’s about our decision to commit to 2.5 for defence.”
“Are you going to recut it?” the host repeated.
“Look, I don’t think that’s worth redoing a whole video over because the majority of that video…” Cleverly replied.
Teasing, the host offered Sky News’ help in fixing the election broadcast: “Just change the shot… I can help you with that.”
Finishing the interview, Burley offered a helpful way to remember how to get the flag right: “Let me tell you, because I’ve got to let you go. The thing they used to teach at school is thin end of the wedge. So the narrow bit at the bottom means that the flag’s not upside down.”
She added: “It’s just a top tip for next time they do it.”
Watch above on Sky News.
