As the country comes to terms with England’s World Cup drubbing, a familiar ritual is now playing out as a metaphor for the nation’s bruised psyche.
Along with empty cans and mashed-up takeaway boxes, the St George’s flags are coming down – and, it seems, with almost indecent haste. My own neighbour, whose home had been festooned with bunting from the outset, had de-flagged his house before the pubs had even closed.
The next morning, as I drove to work, what had been proud landmarks on my route to the office all but disappeared. Forget a considered lowering of the mast to mark a period of national mourning. Instead, what had been enthusiastic signs of this country’s pride in its national team have, at best, been folded away or – ouch – chucked into a skip alongside other broken dreams and forgotten memorabilia.
It doesn’t need to be this way. If there is one victory to salvage from England’s semi-final exit, it should be the freedom to keep flying our national flag without needing a major sporting occasion to legitimise it.
If the St George’s cross can hang outside pubs, cars, homes and shop windows during the World Cup, why not keep it up? Why should this sign of our national identity come with terms and conditions?
The England flag represents our history, our communities, our culture and our country. It also has a proud genesis since the symbol honours St. George, a Christian soldier who became England’s patron saint. Regarded as the ultimate protector of soldiers, his cross endures as a powerful badge of bravery and religious faith.
Yet, thanks to ultra progressive twaddle or, sadly, just fear, they won’t. One YouGov poll found that 27 per cent of adults in England have an unfavourable opinion of people flying the St George’s Cross. Another study by British Future revealed that 39 per cent of the public hesitates to wave the flag, mostly fearing it will make them look like they belong to a far-right group.
Our anaemic government hasn’t helped, with No. 10 struggling to show its backing for England in the early stages of the World Cup. The bunting remained mothballed for opening matches against Croatia, Ghana and Panama.
It was only after England topped the group – and Tory party chairman Kevin Hollinrake dubbed the PM a ‘plastic patriot’ – that flags began to emerge.
Other countries don’t load themselves with this kind of baggage. For example, in Greece, a country I regularly visit, their blue and white flag is everywhere: whether tethered to municipal buildings in urban centres or the rooftops of tiny tavernas deep in the countryside. On one memorable trip to the island of Zakynthos, we drove up to the top of the Mitzithres cliffs to take a look at the country’s largest Greek flag. Attached to a 164ft pole and spanning a massive 7,200 square feet, it is an unflinching and unmissable expression of national identity (and a great tourist attraction).
Closer to home, Wales offers another example. When I cross the border, barely an hour from my home in Manchester, the Red Dragon is everywhere. Point the compass to Scotland the same is true.
Why should England be different?
The St George’s Cross on its own should no more invite accusations of racism than the Welsh Dragon or the Scottish Saltire. In fact if we were unashamed about flags, whether hanging it outside private homes, the local pub or the tax office, this would actually be an inclusive act of patriotism and so a perfect way to fight racism. It would demonstrate that St George – and the values embedded in the symbol – belongs to everyone who calls England home, regardless of race, faith or background. It would be a defiant sign of unity not a way to, quite literally, flag up the separatism that brings so much toxicity to society
There is only a presumption of racism if we allow the flag to be colonised and hijacked for dark purposes. So if we normalise the flag, then through force of numbers we crowd out the assumption that our national symbol – save for the Three Lions loophole – is a symbol of racism.
Patriotism is not racism, and there will be many ordinary, law-abiding people who simply want to display their flag because, well, this is England.
We can never stop idiots from weaponising the flag. Argentina, ironically, now look set to face disciplinary action after players celebrated while holding a banner reading ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’ ( ‘The Falklands are Argentine.’)
It was a disgraceful act, exploiting the memory of a conflict in which hundreds on both sides lost their lives.
This country can do better than that. Tuchel’s lads may have extended the years of hurt, but amid the bruising they could still leave a more positive legacy.
The England flag, which proudly followed the team throughout the World Cup, is here to stay. Bring it out. Bring it on.
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