‘Englishness should not be the preserve of racists and the far-right’

St George’s Day tends to come and go with a little less fanfare than its counterparts elsewhere in the UK. In contrast to the UK’s other nations, the idea of celebrating English identity comes with a degree of discomfort. The English flag has been claimed loudly and aggressively by the far-right – most visibly last summer, when flags tied to lampposts were used to intimidate immigrants and ethnic minorities in our communities.

Fascists like Tommy Robinson promote a warped view of Englishness, one intrinsically linked with race and religion. It’s a version of England that is narrow, brittle and rooted in exclusion; drawing strength from nostalgia for a past that never quite existed and with a sense that identity must be defended against change. It’s not a new phenomenon, but at a time when people feel increasingly divided, it is a real and urgent problem.

The Prime Minister is clear what the flag of St George really stands for: “It stands for decency over division. Unity over hate. And a country where patriotism is measured by what you put in, not what you stir up.”

For the vast majority of people, there is another England: one shaped by the exchange of ideas, cultures and people. The reality of England is far richer and more welcoming than the caricature, and rejects the “plastic patriotism” of the far-right.

For me, England is less brash than the version they would have us believe: a trip to the seaside on a summer’s day, a walk through the countryside as the seasons turn, a packed pub watching the national team head to the World Cup final (we hope). It’s those small, shared moments – street parties spilling out onto the road, communities pulling together when it matters. That sense of belonging is not something to be hoarded or narrowed – it’s something for all of us to build on.

Those of us on the left can’t afford to surrender something as fundamental as national identity to extreme nationalists, nor should the nation’s flag be the preserve of racist thugs. There are already people trying to retrieve that ground – groups like British Future have worked to refocus Englishness on pride over prejudice, offering practical tools for those who want to speak up for an inclusive England.

Reclaiming Englishness does not mean empty flag-waving or ignoring the country’s faults. It means embracing a modern England, in all its diversity and being confident enough to say that this is what patriotism looks like.

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