Downing Street tricolour flag blunder 'down to an embarrassed junior communications professional'

That was the message from the government, delivered by junior Northern Ireland Office minister Steve Baker in the Commons today, following the online cock-up which saw a post from No 10’s Instagram account that hailed Northern Irish culture, but which was illustrated with the green, white and orange emblem of the republic.

Alex Cunningham, a Labour MP, asked during a debate on child services: “Given that the Prime Minister’s No 10 Instagram account celebrated Northern Ireland business with an Irish tricolour in a recent Instagram account this week, does the minister think feel [NI] would get a better child deal with the Republic?”

Mr Baker responded: “Mr Speaker, I feel confident that somewhere there is a junior communications professional lamenting that they accepted the automatically-generated flag on that Instagram post, and I don’t wish to deepen their embarrassment by going further.

"He will have noticed that on my own Instagram I was proud to put out this particular lapel pin that I’m wearing.”

This was a reference to a joint Ulster Banner / Union flag pin.

It is not the first time that PR people at the highest echelons of the state have failed to understand that Northern Ireland is part of the Union.

In June last year, someone made a very similar mistake before a nationwide audience at the Queen’s Jubilee: WATCH – Major error as BBC Platinum Party at the Palace concert displays Irish tricolour to represent Northern Ireland.