Brexit backstop: Twitter users ridicule German Foreign Office over flag mix up

Following last night’s vote in the House of Commons in which MPs backed an amendment calling on the Prime Minister to renegotiate the Brexit backstop arrangements, Germany’s foreign minister Heiko Maas said Germany is open to talks, but stressed “our position is clear: the withdrawal agreement is the best and only solution for an orderly exit.”

“Regarding the backstop, Germany and the entire Union are firmly on Ireland’s side. We will not allow Ireland to be isolated on this issue,” he said.

Echoing the minster’s comments, the German Foreign Office tweeted: “FM @HeikoMaas on #Brexit: Germany and the entire EU will stand by Ireland on the backstop. We will not allow [Ivory Coast flag] to be isolated on this issue.”

A number of Twitter users were quick to point out the mistake, with some ridiculing the foreign office for the error.

One wrote: “You wont allow the Ivory Coast to be isolated? What about Ireland?,” while another tweeted: “Stand with them so much that you don’t even know what their national flag looks like.”

Another posted: “Unfortunately that’s not the Rep of Ireland flag.... Appreciate your support though.”

The two flags are very similar, sharing the same colours but in different order.