Is there black in the Union Jack?

Timothy Garton Ash provides a thoughtful reflection on Gordon Brown's call to display the union flag as a symbol of Britishness.

One of his most interesting points:

The key to the survival of liberty in the modern world is the embrace of
multiple identities. One of the distinctive strengths of Britishness is the way
it exemplifies, indeed necessarily requires, multiple identities. Every Brit is
always something else as well. I'm also English, Gordon Brown is also Scottish,
John Humphrys is also Welsh, Kelly Holmes is Jamaican-British, Sir Iqbal
Sacranie is Muslim-British, and so on. Britain is this peculiar, theoretically
impossible, practically confused but rather wonderful thing: a nation of four
nations. And many more ethnicities and cultures have now been added to the brew.
As we suggested in London's bid for the 2012 Olympics, we are among the world
pioneers of multiple compatible identities.