No10 mocked on Instagram after using the flag of the Republic of Ireland on a post about an event in Downing Street celebrating the culture of Northern Ireland

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  • No10 ended the post with an emoji of the tricolour flag of Ireland

By David Wilcock, Deputy Political Editor For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

No10 has been mocked on Instagram after accidentally using the Irish flag on a post about the culture of Northern Ireland.

The official account posted pictures of an event in Downing Street last night hosted by PM Rishi Sunak, including two women dancing outside No10.

It said that ‘businesses from across Northern Ireland arrived to showcase some of the best produce the country has to offer’.

But it ended the post with an emoji of the tricolour flag of Ireland, which is used often by republicans, rather than a Union Jack or any other flag used to symbolise the province.

The flag was later deleted, with the PM’s official spokesman saying: ‘Obviously that was an error. It was quickly deleted.’ 

But it was not erased before social media users picked up on it. One, Rick Bell, commented: ‘Literally the government of the country, not knowing the flag of the country. You couldn’t make it up.’

Now you see it: The post ended with an emoji of the tricolour flag of Ireland rather than a Union Jack or any other flag used to symbolise the province.

Now you don't: The flag was later deleted, but not before social media users picked up on it. One, Rick Bell, commented: 'Literally the government of the country, not knowing the flag of the country. You couldn’t make it up.'

Now you don’t: The flag was later deleted, but not before social media users picked up on it. One, Rick Bell, commented: ‘Literally the government of the country, not knowing the flag of the country. You couldn’t make it up.’

Another, Joe Simons, joked: ‘The social media intern needs firing.’ 

And Miriam Butler-Wilson said: ‘Imagine working in 10 Downing Street  and not knowing the flag of your own country. Just wow.’

The gaffe comes weeks after former home secretary Suella Braverman raised questions about her knowledge of Northern Ireland by comparing Unionist marches to the pro-Palestinian protests over the war in Gaza. 

In a piece for the Times that preceded her sacking last week, Mrs Braverman risked enraging the DUP by saying the ceasefire demo in London included ‘Islamists’ who were ‘asserting primacy’ and could be linked to terrorism.

A Tory MP with close connections to Northern Ireland told MailOnline that Ms Braverman was displaying ‘complete ignorance’.

Even her Tory supporters admitted that the DUP ‘will not be impressed’ with her comments on Northern Ireland, as almost all the marches there are staged by Protestants.