Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has issued a stark warning about the battle over England’s national identity, declaring that the country faces a “never-ending fight for our flag and what it represents”. His remarks were delivered during a St George’s Day reception at Downing Street, in a speech that touched on patriotism, national unity, and the threats posed by far-right extremism.
Sir Keir reflected on England’s diversity, citing his own upbringing and contrasting it with that of his predecessor Rishi Sunak, “an English Hindu”, noting both had risen to the nation’s highest office. “That for me is something I think we should always be proud of and never take for granted,” he said to guests gathered in the state rooms.
However, the Prime Minister cautioned that this celebration of modern England was being threatened by those who would hijack national symbols for divisive causes. “We cannot be under any illusions that there is a never-ending fight for our flag and what it represents,” he said, with reference to the red and white St George’s Cross, England’s national emblem.
Drawing on a personal memory, Sir Keir recalled attending the famous England v Germany match at Wembley during Euro ’96. “It felt like that whole tournament embodied the best of our country,” he said. “Yet now – there are people trying to sow division in our communities, people taking the red and white of our flag, like the bunting downstairs, with them, as they throw bricks at businesses.”
The Prime Minister made direct mention of the recent riots in Southport, which erupted in the aftermath of a stabbing incident and were fuelled by far-right misinformation online. “I’ve seen people throwing bricks at the very same police officers I was shaking hands with,” he said, referencing his visit to the affected area last year. “And that’s why the battle for our flag is really important – because that was only last year.”
Sir Keir has previously placed blame for the Southport unrest squarely on the far-right, accusing agitators of using fear and falsehoods to inflame tensions. “What we witnessed was an attempt to hijack our identity and turn it into something ugly,” he told attendees at No 10.
Yet amidst the chaos, the Prime Minister found cause for optimism. “The aftermath of the riots showed what it truly means to be English,” he said, lauding the local residents who came together the following morning to clean up damaged neighbourhoods. “People with shovels, brooms and brushes – rebuilding walls, repairing damage. That was England. That’s our decency, our honour, our fairness in action.”
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Calling for unity and resilience, Starmer urged the country to “reclaim” the flag from those who would use it to divide. “We must wrench it out of the hands of those who want to divide this nation and reclaim it for good – for our children, for our communities, and for our future.”
The reception, held in the spirit of national pride, was attended by a number of well-known public figures. Among them were outgoing Match Of The Day host Gary Lineker and comedian Rob Beckett, who mingled with guests from across sport, entertainment, and civil society.
As the evening closed, Sir Keir reiterated that England’s identity must be rooted not in exclusion, but in inclusivity and shared values. “Our flag belongs to all of us. And every day we must defend it – not just from those who would burn it, but from those who would twist it into something it is not.”
The message was clear: the fight for England’s soul continues, and the red and white banner must fly for unity, not division.
