Keir Starmer faces backlash for not flying England flag
Sir Keir Starmer has faced furious backlash after failing to fly the St George’s Cross outside No 10, reports BritPanorama.
The outgoing Labour Prime Minister was branded as unpatriotic for snubbing the England squad as they kicked off their World Cup campaign in the group stages.
Tory party chairman Kevin Hollinrake accused the PM of being “just another Labour Party plastic patriot,” calling for him to “show some backbone.” He stated, “Keir Starmer claims to love his country but won’t fly the England flag for the World Cup. He should show some backbone and pride in our flag and our history. These are the things that bring us together.” Hollinrake emphasized, “Regardless of what Starmer and his colleagues think, millions of us will be cheering the England team on to the final whistle in all of their games.”
Flying the St George’s Cross at Downing Street became a tradition under David Cameron, who raised the flag for the entirety of the Three Lions’ 2010 World Cup campaign in South Africa. That same year, local government minister Grant Shapps called for councils across England to show their support “to avoid accusations of being overzealous or spoilsports.”
Sir Keir previously referred to the England flag as “an expression of our values and our patriotism,” asserting last year during St George’s Day celebrations, “We should be proud of that flag, we must never concede it.” A spokesperson for No 10 confirmed that they intended to fly the England flag if the team progressed to the knockout stages.
After finishing top of their group, Thomas Tuchel’s men now face the Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday in the first knockout game of the tournament.
The reaction to Starmer’s decision reflects broader discussions regarding national identity and patriotism in the UK’s political discourse, particularly as the nation rallies around its sporting representatives on the global stage.
