I did another Twitter poll yesterday, because the Guardian highlighted concerns that members of the Labour Party have expressed about campaign materials produced by its headquarters for local party use. These feature prominent images of the Union flag whilst removing from view traditional Labour graphics, such as its red rose logo.
There have been reports that these materials are unpopular with its members, some of whom are refusing to deliver materials emblazoned in this way.
My poll was as follows:
I have to make clear, I am not suggesting that this result is statistically valid. There are obvious selection biases in running a Twitter poll that guarantee that this is not the case. However, given that my Twitter following is likely to be biased towards Labour supporters, and I am excluding from my analysis those who say they are not, I am not sure that I need to get overly worried about that risk of bias: this data is likely to reflect the opinion of at least some parts of Labour's membership or support.
Taking out of consideration those who say they are not interested in Labour, and those who say that they do not have an opinion, and therefore taking into account only those who are directly concerned about Labour Party campaigning, it is very apparent that most of those voting really do not wish to see Labour wrapping up its campaign inside the Union flag. Eighteen per cent think Labour is right to feature the flag. Eighty two per cent do not. That difference of view, which remained very stable after a couple of hundred votes were cast, appears significant to me.
I can also wholeheartedly understand that opinion. That is , no doubt, in part because I am not a unionist. I accept that fact creates bias.
There are, however, broader reasons. Most of us a certain age are all too familiar with the history of the use of this flag as a campaigning tool by the far right. The memory of that is still too strong to want to see it used again.
In addition, many people think of this flag as a symbol of colonial oppression, for very good reason. That association is deeply uncomfortable for them. I also count myself in that number.
Others, not unreasonably, think that this use of the flag represents Labour moving into Tory party space, for absolutely no good reason. I do.
I think all those holding any (or all) of these opinions will feel alienated by Labour doing something that is so deeply insensitive to those who might naturally support it. They will rightly wonder why it wants to cause such offence.
I have not sought to hide my concerns about Labour over the last couple of years. That concern has arisen for many reasons. Its willingness to go down the same jingoistic path that the Tories have trodden is yet another concern to add to my list because it seems to me to lead to another of those characteristics of fascism that are becoming all too well known.
Perhaps, though, most of all I am, baffled as to why Labour is doing this. When someone as dispassionate as Professor John Curtice of Strathclyde University thinks that there is a 99% probability that they will now win the next general election why does the Labour leadership still doubt that, as they must do by going down this route? Do they somehow think that they still have to win the far-right vote from the Tories and Reform, when the rump that support those parties are never going to be persuaded? And do they really think that their own supporters will put up with any sort of abuse so that those people might be recruited, whatever the cost?
Or is it, worst of all, that this Labour leadership really does wish hark back to an era when this flag did, without doubt, represent attitudes of colonial superiority? Do they, in other words, actually share the sentiments of those on the far-right of British politics, based on division as they so obviously are?
I am not sure of Labour's motives, but whatever they might be they appear to be a profound betrayal of all that is ethical, just and inclusive and that is profoundly unattractive in a party set to rule this country.
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I think after all we’ve seen a great deal of evidence Non-Starter Starmer doesn’t put ethics at the forefront of his thinking! For example, the country’s waterways and beaches may be getting heavily contaminating by sewage releases but Starmer dropped the Labour Party policy to nationalise the water authorities:-
https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/labour-axes-pledge-nationalise-energy-water-keir-starmer-vows-pragmatic-plan-rail-networks-1761359
I have given up trying to understand anything Labour does or says. I don’t believe the current leadership has any right to use the name Labour any more, it represents absolutely nothing that normal people associate with that name.
Best to call it the Starmer Party or Non-Starter Party! The Labour Party under his leadership appears to have curled up and died in regard to ethically and mindfully tackling any serious issue the country faces! Taking bribes like the Tories is very indicative of the modus operandi of this Labour Party replacement:-
https://labourheartlands.com/selling-out-the-nhs-the-shocking-links-between-labour-mps-and-private-healthcare-donations/
(Note monetary figures in this article taken from the House of Commons’s Register of Member’s Interests.)
Using the flag does have colonialist and imperialist connotations that can be quite distasteful and put people off reminding people of the old fascist National Front.
Sitting Wales, where I’m told the majority of Labour members are either pro-indy, or indy curious, flag shrouding seems designed to exasperate those members. I’m not one! The new leader of the local branch is my MS and is a unionist, and very London focused. But he only just got a majority, suggesting about 48% of his membership don’t want to follow what he is offering. Whilst it won’t matter at Westminster, if Wales were to replace a central apparatchik with a more independent minded leader as it did before, it might cause longer term damage to labour elsewhere when referendums are requested.
Dr. Johnson ‘Patriotism is the last refuge of a Scoundrel’.
I distinguish between patriotism which is an involvement with and commitment to one’s community and history and that of nationalism. As one historian put it ‘patriots love their country: nationalists hate everyone else’s.’
As for the history -I am an historian -it should be as a former neighbour of yours said ‘warts and all.’
“hark back to an error” -to an era?
Thanks
Autocorrect hits again. Changed. Thank you.
I suspect those of us that are pretty at ease about the odd left-wing policy – say Labour’s 2017 manifesto – and if opinion polls on those individual policies are to be believed, that includes most people in the UK – underestimate the extent of alarm on the Labour right-wing about this – and moreover about the obvious fact that Labour had lots of members that want those policies. They are still, I think, quite obsessed with this ‘threat’ – as they see it – still fighting on two fronts: one against the Tories, and the other against their own members.
Something seriously wrong when most members and supporters of your party are anathema to you!
I have never voted for Labour because SNP gives me a genuinely Scottish alternative. Some background may be useful.
The Labour Party was founded by another Keir, (James) Keir Hardy of Newhouse, Lanarkshire, Scotland. They would like us to believe that Scottish Labour is a separate, autonous organisation, whereas it is merely an accounting unit of UK Labour and will follow whatever policy Keir Starmer dictates.
Why do I mention this? Because, while Starmer is hell bent on shagging the union flag, to many Scots this is known as the “Butcher’s Apron” in remembrance of “Butcher” Cumberland whose troops marched behind it in 1746 savagely slaughtering any rebel Highlanders they could find who had escaped Culloden.
It is true that many of the Butcher’s troops were Lowland Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie was not supported by all Scots but it is as potent a reminder to us as the National Front is to the English of the foolishness of using that flag as a party symbol.
All Non-Starter Starmer has left is to wrap himself in the national flag since he declares the following:-
“Keir Starmer has told voters he cannot “turn the taps on” to fix the crisis in local authority funding as he was quizzed on how Labour would plug councils’ £4bn gap at the launch of its local election campaign. ‘I can’t pretend that we could turn the taps on, pretend the damage hasn’t been done to the economy – it has,’ he said. ‘There’s no magic money tree that we can waggle the day after the election. No, they’ve broken the economy, they’ve done huge damage.’ ”
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/mar/28/starmer-says-he-cannot-turn-the-taps-on-to-fix-crisis-in-council-funding
Meanwhile the Guardian reports today a huge slash in school repair funding:-
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/mar/31/cold-damp-unsafe-record-number-of-uk-schools-refused-funding-for-repairs
No doubt although Reeves has announced government capital spending will be exempt from having to balance as opposed to current spending (stupid notion) Starmer has declared there will be no increase in taxes under his regime. Obviously Reeves and Starmer have no idea that taxation has to be related to any kind of government spending whether capital or current because it’s commanding real resources. Completely amateurish! Failure to do joined-up thinking! As soon as there’s the first hint of inflation going up Starmer will turn off the government capital spending tap. A monetary Catch-22 of his own making!
Starmer’s flag fixation is beyond ludicrous. His recent photo op with the pathetic Reeves both seated huddled over ‘important papers’, pen poised against a bookcase background – actually has a Union flag at a seaside beach brolly angle stuck in the corner behind him. Does he take one to the loo with him too?
The unpopularity of the ‘butcher’s apron’in Scotland is also linked with it being waved – when it is – most prominently by the knuckle-draging Orange tendency. Is Starmer so thick he thinks we cannot see his preffered ‘branding just because these are English local elections? The red rose of Blair was tone deaf enough here; the union flag is frankly colonialist.
Well yes, pretty pathetic. But then, if you’re obsessed with getting Tory and swing voters to vote for you, and are basically telling the left to like it and lump it, it makes sense.
Nothing worse than politicians who wrap themselves in national flags.
I don’t care about flags and I don’t care about national anthems. These are often trotted out as things that embody patriotic concern, but to me neither of those really represent a country. They’re just arbitrary symbols chosen long before I was born that I have little to no connection to. I am immediately wary of anyone who tries to use them as part of a political message. If they are relying on them, it suggests that they may not have many policies or statements that are worthwhile on their own merit.
Here in Canada, the right wing opposition is also draping itself with the Canadian flag implying if you do not support them you are anti-Canadian. The trouble is that Trudeau is as right wing as most of them! The only real alternative is the NDP.
And note that the Labour membership cards have the saltire Scottish flag background for Scottish Labour members; a Welsh flag background for Welsh Labour members, and (of course) a union jack background for English Labour members! Last time I looked – just like Scotland and Wales – England has it’s own flag, and it’s not the union jack!
Anyway, Anglo British nationalism or as the great political thinker Tom Nairn called it “Ukania”, will not feature much this summer when we won’t be seeing much of the union jack at the Euros – instead it will be the England and Scotland flags.
We need to take a more positive view.
Kier Hardy was not doubt a partiotic British man who, +/- kick-started Labour. The party greatly changed the UK.
Kier Staremr may like the British flag – but on the current trajectory may well:
a) cause the break-up of Labour/LINO
b) the break-up of the UK.
I like the symmetry – a Kier started Labour and a Kier ended LINO.
A more generous spirit from the Westminster-glitteraty could have course changed things – but its all too late both for LINO and the UK.
(From the Daily Mail) A Labour spokesman said: ‘Keir’s changed Labour Party is positive, progressive and patriotic. The Union Flag is something we are proud to carry.’
Sir Keir has attempted to transform the perception of the Labour Party after voters saw Jeremy Corbyn as lacking in patriotism. But MPs have raised concerns about the continued use of the Union Flag so prominently. They have suggested that this is ‘definitely detrimental’ in diverse areas, according to The Guardian newspaper.
Labour has continued to shed votes from minority groups since the start of the conflict in Gaza, with Muslim voters in particular turning away from the party.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said: ‘It says everything about Labour MPs and activists that they are ashamed of our flag and our country. It shows the true face of Labour hasn’t changed. There is so much to be proud of in Britain and we can unite behind our national flag”