Government has absorbed, correctly, that there is a conscious project to roll back a half century of making Englishness and Britishness identities based on more than ethnicity, but has no plan beyond going 'I too like flags' to defend it.
Replies
Frankly I have accepted Starmer is fine with that at this point. He is fine playing in the mud with the racists and thinks if he emulates the cruelty of Meloni or Mette Frederiksen’s regime he will survive. It is sad, but he won’t change. The only solution is new Labour leadership, Keir’s got to go
sep 1, 2025, 2:11 pm • 3 0 • view
You can't just say 'the problem is using the flag divisively', you have to set out and demonstrate what using it in a non-divisive way means.
sep 1, 2025, 1:51 pm • 123 15 • view
To take the lowest hanging of fruit: If I wanted to keep the damn hands of the far right off my flag, which I do, I would have invited the winning England team to Downing Street on a day the prime minister could actually make and be in the photographs and clips for!
sep 1, 2025, 1:54 pm • 140 18 • view
Starmer is the Brick of British Politics youtu.be/Ld35lMnFQ10?...
sep 1, 2025, 2:01 pm • 0 0 • view
(So much of the 'well, he had to see Trump', I mean, yes, obviously he did. The Lionesses were on the Mall the very next day - frankly the idea that they would be going 'it's Monday or NOTHING' to the Downing Street reception is nuts!)
sep 1, 2025, 1:56 pm • 66 0 • view
Part of the weird opposition mentality they haven't shifted yet of going 'oh, well, gotta flex'. No! It's a Downing Street reception! People flex their calendars for it, not the other way around!
sep 1, 2025, 1:57 pm • 69 3 • view
Two things happening this summer: the Proms, one of the greatest things that the UK does culturally, all for free on the BBC, England women winning again, both things that the PM *actually likes* and are positive things about our country. Use them!
sep 1, 2025, 1:59 pm • 108 13 • view
I will always, always go back to him on the Football Clichés podcast. Something he loves. And I've never heard a man more stilted in my life. A tiny amount of creativity and this gets used so easily!
sep 1, 2025, 2:06 pm • 0 0 • view
💯
sep 1, 2025, 2:06 pm • 1 0 • view
I think he does have to say something along the lines of "having been born in the normal way 60 years ago rather than falling down in the last shower of rain, I do not believe that people painting on roundabouts are expressing spontaneous love of their country and they should knock it off"
sep 1, 2025, 2:01 pm • 44 4 • view
Yeah. It's really simple: you wave the flag in the normal way, i.e. at the Proms, a classical music event that he really loves, or watching England, again, a thing he actually does really care about, you have it on government buildings, and make it clear you don't button up at the back.
sep 1, 2025, 2:03 pm • 30 1 • view
Yes but he’s too terrified of the Sun et al to make that argument isn’t he? The flag is great for football, rugby, Wimbledon and the proms but put it up outside your house and you’re going to decrease the value of houses on that street - can you ever see him making that argument?
sep 1, 2025, 4:30 pm • 1 0 • view
I mean...he shouldn't. It's actually a good thing that some people are just going 'oh, they look nice, don't they' and putting some up themselves because it blurs the message the far right wants to send, which is that I should feel unwelcome when I see my own flag!
sep 1, 2025, 5:10 pm • 8 0 • view
"I like Arsenal Football Club but that doesn't mean I want to see it spray painted on a bus shelter"
sep 1, 2025, 5:15 pm • 19 1 • view
OR he goes and shouts at hotels
sep 1, 2025, 6:13 pm • 0 0 • view
The way he never says anything about the arts, music in particular, weirds me out. As I've said , to be a Guildhall School of Music Junior Scholar you have to be really good, not just the typical junior high achiever with 1 or 2 grade 8s that Oxford was full of, and I just don't believe you can
sep 1, 2025, 6:12 pm • 2 0 • view
get to that level not caring about music (rather than just wanting to excel at a technical exercise)
sep 1, 2025, 6:13 pm • 3 0 • view
It does seem so simple to say He's practically encouraging it
sep 1, 2025, 2:04 pm • 0 0 • view
'Also they look a bit naff, frankly'
sep 1, 2025, 2:03 pm • 3 0 • view
Struck by his passivity. And today, he appears to contract out the ‘holding his ministers and civil servants to account’ part of his job to Darren Jones? Sorry but isn’t that central to the prime ministers role? What does he plan to do all day? Just do nato, trump and Ukraine for ever?
sep 1, 2025, 7:13 pm • 0 0 • view
And flags fit in neatly to both
sep 1, 2025, 2:00 pm • 3 0 • view
"It’s the greatest flag in the world & it’s going down the shitter. We’re here to do something about it" — Liam Gallagher, 1993 The flag tends to be unifying when embraced in mass culture - especially youth culture & sport. Previous PMs have been better at spotting that. wp.me/p6lzJb-6hV
sep 1, 2025, 2:11 pm • 1 0 • view
Instead of which, everything he's saying here can be read as affirmation of the riots. Hardly helps crowd control when people trying to burn down buildings can say "The Prime Minister doesn't want them here!".
sep 1, 2025, 2:19 pm • 0 0 • view
If the country government won't do it can't the people do it? If the UK government is anything like America the government doesn't make trends or make actions they follow something popular when people do it first. Not ducking on you but offering my $0.02
sep 1, 2025, 5:06 pm • 2 0 • view
And the Proms taking place *from so many different places in the country*, not just the RAH, therefore something you could weave into a great narrative about a positive sense of place and identity
sep 1, 2025, 2:01 pm • 1 0 • view
Also: Oasis concerts, which feature Union Jack guitars, or at least they did the last time I noticed them (1996)
sep 1, 2025, 5:30 pm • 1 0 • view
And a winning Lions tour!
sep 1, 2025, 2:03 pm • 2 0 • view
He'd have to be clear about what's England and what's British to promote both equitably.
sep 1, 2025, 2:13 pm • 0 0 • view
There is plenty of patriotism to be proud of. The 2012 Olympic opening ceremony showed it. Labour just don’t have a clue how to utilise it.
sep 1, 2025, 2:01 pm • 0 0 • view
Yes.Totally.I wish Starmer & team could put as much effort into stakeholder relations as they do (& seemingly very well) internationally in a uk content . He seems to fail w understanding you lever the role of PM to bring together interests, top down bottom up, & they help champion & enable change.
sep 1, 2025, 2:01 pm • 2 0 • view
Not your point but: If the men’s team won back-to-back Euros, you’d have photos of Keir Starmer giving Harry Kane a piggyback tour of Downing Street.
sep 1, 2025, 1:57 pm • 3 0 • view
He himself took the time to Zoom in on the day, it's just that there wasn't any kind of 'hmm, is this actually a thing we want our guy to get more out of?'
sep 1, 2025, 1:58 pm • 2 0 • view
He could also show up at the current world cup being hosted *in England* and support the England women, clear tournament favourites and the strongest women's rugby team in the world. (I know it's rugby union, not the national sport, but it's happening *now*! And he could invite the Lionesses too!)
sep 1, 2025, 2:02 pm • 45 5 • view
I agree with the sentiment but he is the UK Prime Minister, not the English Prime Minister. He should also make the effort to go to the Scottish and Welsh teams who are also in the tournament, not just having a St George Cross in the cabinet office.
sep 1, 2025, 2:10 pm • 1 0 • view
You say that you support independence. Maybe as a starting point you could show some grip over what is actually being discussed, which is not about him 'supporting the teams' but him defending our flag from the racist extremes.
sep 1, 2025, 2:13 pm • 7 0 • view
Reform are making inroads in Wales and the St George Cross is appearing on Welsh roundabouts. The racists operating in England are the same ones operating in Wales and what’s happening to your flag will happen to ours. It’s a UK wide problem and needs a UK wide, not an English only, response.
sep 1, 2025, 2:25 pm • 1 0 • view
Nah, waving thr flag and cheering on the national team wouldn't seems weird. Just state that you have a flag in your home that you sit infront of, that's definitely normal.
sep 1, 2025, 2:08 pm • 6 0 • view
Especially after he had Maro Itoje *at Downing Street purposely for St George's Day earlier this year* and since then Itoje went on to captain the Lions to victory in Australia 😐
sep 1, 2025, 2:09 pm • 2 0 • view
I take it it is too much to hope that such a statement is hidden in the ellipses?
sep 1, 2025, 1:54 pm • 1 0 • view
No, it's an entirely fair use of the elipses, having listened to it live.
sep 1, 2025, 1:54 pm • 1 0 • view
I don’t get how they haven’t picked up on the trend on flying it with the Ukrainian flag I’ve seen a fair few places for that. It’s widespread enough to have reached Silloth car boot sale & it punches Farage in a very painful place
sep 1, 2025, 4:12 pm • 6 1 • view
I thought Mark Ferguson's vid was very good
sep 1, 2025, 1:55 pm • 1 0 • view
A good test for political communication is "can I imagine groaning through the Aaron Sorkin speech"; Starmer's problem is that one cannot even imagine what that would look like on patriotism
sep 1, 2025, 5:07 pm • 0 0 • view
'Miniature English flags for some, miniature English flags for others'
sep 1, 2025, 3:54 pm • 1 0 • view
There are some in Parliament with their head screwed on right. The following Facebook post from NE Derbyshire Labour MP for one. More like this please!
sep 1, 2025, 2:38 pm • 59 21 • view
sep 1, 2025, 1:52 pm • 18 0 • view
FFS,'this is I love guns', grow a pair
sep 1, 2025, 1:54 pm • 0 0 • view
An empty suit
sep 1, 2025, 2:03 pm • 0 0 • view
This is the zebra leading to our very multi-national primary school in West London. Can't imagine how kids and parents going to feel crossing this on their first day back this week but it seems not enough politicians care (PS am going to try to do something about it)
sep 1, 2025, 2:17 pm • 6 3 • view
There's a photo somewhere where a roundabout cross has been turned into a game of noughts and crosses which is exactly the right approach.
sep 1, 2025, 8:15 pm • 1 0 • view
What?? Paint it out? It looks terrible 😳
sep 1, 2025, 2:54 pm • 2 0 • view
I can't see how walking over a flag is respectful
sep 1, 2025, 5:24 pm • 0 0 • view
Hopefully they'll just think "what a bunch of twats".
sep 1, 2025, 4:10 pm • 1 0 • view
And This is vandalism and that's a crime Rather than getting all involved in the racist rhetoric: that's what they want, better just portray them as silly bored kids with spray cans.
sep 1, 2025, 4:35 pm • 1 0 • view
I do hope so. The danger is that another bunch of twats will get "offended" and decide to "do something about it." The world has been ruined by twats taking offence throughout history. I'm not saying all wars could have been avoided by non-twattery but it's a start.
sep 1, 2025, 6:26 pm • 1 0 • view
There's nothing less British than being a flag-shagger
sep 1, 2025, 3:48 pm • 3 0 • view
Theres a difference between flags.. we have the saltire all over the place in Scitland but dont have thugs hanging out threatening people, its used as a positive thing a happy nationalism nit thus hate ful bilge the English flag provokes. But, maybe the English will want to have independence 🤣
sep 1, 2025, 4:29 pm • 0 0 • view
Sometimes - just sometimes - it’s the Comms too. bsky.app/profile/scot...
sep 1, 2025, 6:11 pm • 0 0 • view
“So Keir, is it true, are you a racist?” Starmer: FLAG “Keir? You have to answer our question” Starmer: FLAG “Sir Keir, you can’t just keep saying flag” Starmer: FLAG FLAG FLAG FLAG FLAG
sep 1, 2025, 3:06 pm • 1 0 • view
Is he even aware - or does he have a handle on what is really happening in the country? It’s one thing not having an answer another to not even really appreciate the question.
sep 1, 2025, 3:03 pm • 0 0 • view
I hadn't realised he was such a weirdo.
sep 1, 2025, 2:07 pm • 1 0 • view
Who is moaning about flags?
sep 1, 2025, 2:03 pm • 0 0 • view
Starmer's greatest presentational weakness is his inability to sound authentic when making these kinds of statements. I can fully imagine Blair making a fairly bland statement like "I like flags" sound meaningful and genuine, but for whatever reason Starmer just can't pull it off.
sep 1, 2025, 2:31 pm • 0 0 • view
I think the best way to counter this is to put up British value flags alongside the Union Jacks and St George's? End Racism/Pride flags etc etc? Lots of options! Show us British folk as the famously tolerant (for the majority at least) people we are.
sep 1, 2025, 2:04 pm • 3 0 • view
Its not rocket science for Starmer to be able to turn the narrative around. It’s just he’s not doing it. Are they beholden to the same “hostile environment” civil service advisers that the Tories incubated? bsky.app/profile/mole...
sep 1, 2025, 2:37 pm • 1 1 • view
The hostile environment was not a civil service caused problem and neither is this.
sep 1, 2025, 2:39 pm • 4 0 • view
Although... I think there is circumstantial evidence that the HO, in particular, is institutionally anti-immigrant.
sep 1, 2025, 2:46 pm • 2 0 • view
That was my impression.
sep 1, 2025, 2:46 pm • 1 0 • view
Certainly no one who has had to negotiate that Croydon office has ever found them particularly welcoming...
sep 1, 2025, 2:49 pm • 2 0 • view
Yes, sort of - I had read the Home Office top brass were pretty hostile without much need for political encouragement.
sep 1, 2025, 2:42 pm • 0 0 • view
I heard him playing the 'flag waving' down. Damned whatever he does! 🙄😴😴.....and on it goes again!
sep 1, 2025, 2:06 pm • 1 0 • view
Starmer is working very hard on being a worse leader than Corbyn and i would have thought that impossible a year ago
sep 1, 2025, 2:35 pm • 1 0 • view
When it comes to flags, there is nothing patriotic about putting flags up that will end up torn and tattered in a months time. The disrespect these people are showing to our national flags demonstrates their fake performative nonsense for what it really is: hijacking a shared symbol to spread fear.
sep 1, 2025, 2:39 pm • 2 1 • view
This government just has a really low view of their own electorate.
sep 1, 2025, 2:45 pm • 1 0 • view
He could have said ‘I like flags because they show which way the wind is blowing’
sep 1, 2025, 3:47 pm • 0 0 • view
I don't know why he hasn't been couped yet out of embarassment at how incompetent he is. I know Labour MPs are too cowardly to stab him in the back but you'd have thought at some point the army would step in to preserve British Dignity.
sep 1, 2025, 1:58 pm • 1 0 • view
sep 1, 2025, 2:06 pm • 5 0 • view
TBF perhaps the most effective thing Starmer can do to stop the flags is be associated with them.
sep 2, 2025, 7:10 am • 0 0 • view
Optics: Reform feed generalised racism + (incoherent) nostalgia, tactically: to nurture multi-purpose xenophobia, for whistling up whenever they need it. Lab/Con are silent on the deeper cultural effects of this tactic, thinking they may need the racist-xenophobe vote to win *whenever*.
sep 1, 2025, 5:05 pm • 0 0 • view
Isn't a supporter of flags a... flagpole?
sep 1, 2025, 1:56 pm • 3 0 • view
With such a... Let's be nice and call it lightweight engagement, they are far more likely to get co-opted themselves into that rollback project, than to turn it aside. Starmer saying he puts the English flag in front of the union flag in his flat... What even is this meant to be?
sep 1, 2025, 2:02 pm • 2 0 • view
I found the England flags & racist graffiti that had been put up over night all the way from the station to my workplace intensely hostile & divisive. It was my first day back at work in Bromley today and I am not getting over it anytime soon. Not one flag was seen when the Lionesses won the Euros.
sep 1, 2025, 3:24 pm • 2 0 • view