Prime Minister Keir Starmer has condemned what he called 'plastic patriots' who hijack the St George's flag to spread hate, insisting the flag belongs to the vast majority who want 'unity over hate' and 'decency over division'. Speaking ahead of a visit to mark St George's Day, Starmer emphasised that true British patriotism is about contributing, pulling together, and looking out for one another.
Starmer highlighted the government's flagship £6 billion Pride in Place programme as the antidote to the poison of populism, supporting hundreds of areas to improve high streets, parks, and decaying community places. He pointed to the summer riots of 2024, when communities came together after misinformation spread over the killing of three young girls in Southport, as an example of quiet British patriotism.
'A mindless minority brought violence and disorder onto our streets. But the overwhelming majority chose a different path. Standing together, protecting their communities, and showing the best of this country,' Starmer said. He added that when people try to hijack the flag to spread hate, it should be called out as 'plastic patriotism that corrodes the very bonds that tie us together'.
At a Downing Street reception earlier this week, Starmer said there are voices both at home and abroad seeking to divide, setting people apart and promoting a toxic culture of hatred. He referred to attacks on synagogues and mosques as acts of violence designed to send a message that Jewish and Muslim communities are not safe. 'We reject their division completely, and we will fly our flag proudly. It's our flag. It belongs to us,' he said.
Starmer highlighted three individuals who embodied English values: Isaac Davidson, a window cleaner who helped remove racist graffiti from a Chinese restaurant in York; George Sutherland, a volunteer at a food bank in Telford; and Ben Huntley, the nurse who cared for Starmer's brother Nick before his death from cancer on Boxing Day 2024. Starmer said these stories are bound together by values of service, generosity, and respect.
