The Flag Institute maintains and manages the national registry of United Kingdom flags and this flag complies with its strict UK Flag Registry criteria.

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Some say the term jack should only be used to refer to the flag when it's flown on a warship but according to the Flag Institute, which runs the UK flag registry, this is a relatively recent idea.

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And one -- British Prime Minister David Cameron -- even bestowed Bo, the first dog, with a bone-shaped chew toy adorned with a UK flag.

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Mr McNeill, 43, who also planted a flag for Cancer Research UK in memory of his father-in-law said there was not one cross word during their 28-day trek across the ice, before being picked up by an aircraft and whisked back to base camp.

BBC: NEWS | UK | British man scores polar success

His mission will make him the first UK national to live and work in space, and to fly the Union flag, on a British-government-funded programme (the UK is Esa's third largest contributor).

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It commended the traditional fixed and mobile phone networks in the UK in this respect, but raised a flag about the introduction of the newer 4G cellular systems.

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It has not been the best year for UK hopefuls, with only two Brits flying the flag in the four acting categories - Anglo-Irish actor Day-Lewis and British-Australian actress Naomi Watts.

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