Editing Flash and circle (section)

==Origins within the BUF (1935–1940) ==
[[File:Flag of the British Union of Fascists (original).svg|thumb|The first flag of the British Union of Fascists was used in early October 1932 for its inauguration and first rally. It was replaced by the Fascist Flag below in early 1933<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Millican |first=John |title=Mosley's Men in Black |publisher=Sanctuary Press Ltd |year=2020 |isbn=978-1-912887-66-8 |edition=3rd |location=Shelton Street, London |pages=83-84}}</ref>]]
[[File:Flag of the British Union of Fascists (alternate).svg|thumb|Adopted in early 1933, the Fascist Flag would be used extensively by the BUF up until its disbandment in 1940. Even after the Flash and Circle was adopted in 1935, this flag would continue to be flown alongside it at local and national events.<ref name=":2" />]]
The BUF was founded in 1932 and adopted the [[fasces]] as its emblem, whose bundle of sticks represents strength through unity, and whose axe represents the supreme authority of the state to which citizens owe allegiance. Although the fasces was utilized almost exclusively by [[Benito Mussolini|Benito Mussolini's]] [[Blackshirts]], the BUF claimed that they had a right to use the symbol on the basis that the fasces was used extensively in Britain during Roman times, and that the British Empire continued to carry on the tradition of civilisation from them.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Millican |first=John |title=Mosley's Men in Black |publisher=Sanctuary Press Ltd |year=2020 |isbn=978-1-912887-66-8 |edition=3rd |location=Shelton Street, London |pages=15}}</ref> 

The symbol would officially be changed in March 1934 from the plain gold fasces to a Union Flag within a shield and a fasces placed on top. The reasons for this change was that the BUF wanted to emphasise its commitment to king and country through the addition of the national emblem, the other reason was to help the movement distinguish itself in foreign nations.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Millican |first=John |title=Mosley's Men in Black |publisher=Sanctuary Press Ltd |year=2020 |isbn=978-1-912887-66-8 |edition=3rd |location=Shelton Street, London |pages=15-16}}</ref>

[[File:Flag of the British Union of Fascists.svg|thumb|The flag of the British Union of Fascists, known as the "Union Banner"|left]]
Starting in the 1930s, the fasces began to be phased out in favour of the BUF's final symbol, the Flash and Circle. In the summer of 1935, Eric H. Piercy, the commander of the [[Fascist Defence Force]], designed the emblem and presented it to [[Oswald Mosley]], the BUF's leader.<ref name=":1" /> The official colors were: a white lightning bolt ("flash") and circle, a blue roundel, and a red background. The symbolism of this design was meant to convey a flash of action within a circle of unity. 

While there was a lack of consistency in the appearance of the Flash and Circle, such as the short-lived inverted version used in 1935, it would go on to become the main symbol of the party and was used extensively throughout 1935-1940.<ref name=":1" /> The BUF's left-wing opponents nicknamed the symbol the "[[wiktionary:flash in the pan|flash in the pan]]".<ref>{{citation|last=Benewick|first=Robert|title=Political Violence & Public Order: A Study of British Fascism|date=1969|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KENEAAAAIAAJ&pg=PP139|page=139}}</ref> The usage of any symbols by the BUF would slowly decline after the party was banned and its leadership (including Mosley) was interned under [[Defence Regulation 18B]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Keeley |first=Thomas Norman |date=1998 |title=Blackshirts Torn: Inside The British Union of Fascists, 1932-1940 |url=https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/tape17/PQDD_0026/MQ37564.pdf |url-status=live |website=Library and Archives Canada |page=90}}</ref> 
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