The referendum on Scottish independence due on Sept 18 has implications not only for the UK, but nearly 30 other nations, states or provinces around the world as they all incorporate the Union Jack in their own flags.

The referendum on Scottish independence due on Sept 18 has implications not only for the UK, but nearly 30 other nations, states or provinces around the world as they all incorporate the Union Jack in their own flags.

The Union Jack, dating to 1606, incorporates the English Cross of St George, the Irish Cross of St Patrick and the Scottish Cross of St Andrew. Presumably, if the Scots vote for independence, the Cross of St Andrew will have to be removed from the flag of a diminished United Kingdom.

But will it also have to be removed from the flags of Anguilla, Australia, Bermuda, the British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Montserrat, New Zealand, Niue, Pitcairn Is, St Helena, South Georgia and South Sandwich Is, Tokelau, Tristan da Cunha, the Turks and Caicos Isles and Tuvalu, and the state flags of Hawaii, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South and Western Australia, plus provincial flags of British Columbia, Manitoba and Ontario?