Anger as Labour claims St George f lag is tainted by the far-Right

The flag of St George has become tainted by ‘far-Right ideology’ and Brexit, a Labour MP claimed yesterday.

Shadow sports minister Rosena Allin-Khan claimed some people were reluctant to fly the St George’s Cross during the World Cup because of its perceived associations.

her comments drew an angry reaction on social media, and appeared to contradict a recent academic study which found pride in the england flag had risen.

Dr Allin-Khan told Westminster’s The house magazine: ‘I think that many people feel that flying a St George’s Cross is synonymous with far-Right ideology and that sometimes prevents them from doing so because they don’t want to be perceived as such.

‘During previous World Cups between 2000 and 2010 you could walk 20 metres and see flags in windows, flags on cars, flags on shops. Despite more sprouting up as the tournament went on, there’s been a noticeable difference.

‘I think there is a reluctance to do so because shops may not want to feel they’re not being welcoming to members of the community, and perhaps Brexit has a part to play in that.’

Dr Allin-Khan’s comments could rile the Labour leadership, which had called for a bank holiday if the england team won the World Cup final, and for Britain to host the tournament in 2030. They were also met by a barrage of criticism from social media users.

Fiona Mellersh tweeted: ‘hilarious. The whole country was festooned with the england flag. And england bunting’. One Twitter user responded to her comments: ‘Didn’t she see the block of flats where eVeRY flat had a St. George’s flag in London! Labour really knocks everything patriotic’.

Alexander hall wrote: ‘ You should have come round North Birmingham. Loads of St George flags flying from win- dows and cars. Typical London Labour bubble MP turning her nose up at patriotism’.

however, it is not the first time the MP has discussed the flying of the england flag.

She wrote in the Daily Mirror earlier this month: ‘Compare the hype of the 2006 World Cup to 2018, what’s missing? england flags.

‘In 2006, I remember going into shops, bars, schools – you couldn’t walk 20 metres without seeing an england flag.

‘Over the years, flying the flag has become more and more synonymous with the far-Right – but why should they have any more right to fly the St George’s Cross than you or I?

‘The english flag has become associated with the national front, the eDL and other far right groups – it frustrates me. It frustrates me because we have allowed this to happen.’

In 2014, emily Thornberry was forced to resign from ed Miliband’s front bench after she appeared to mock a terrace house which was covered with three england flags.

She told the Daily Telegraph at the time that she found the image, taken in Rochester, ‘remarkable’ because she had never seen a house ‘completely covered in flags before’.

Meanwhile, a Winchester University study has found a surge in support for both the england team and the flag.

A YouGov poll of 20,000 adults found a significant increase in the number of people who were ‘very proud’ to be english, from 36 per cent to 40 per cent.

‘Turning her nose up at patriotism’