Reluctant patriots..?

THE flying of the St George’s Cross in England in support of the national football team has been “greeted with delight and dismay in equal measures”, according to Neil Davenport of Spiked online. Are the English reluctant patriots? Are manifestations of ‘Englishness’ tempered by political correctness, or exacerbated by a growing sense of English ‘identity’ in the wake of devolution to the regions?

Davenport writes: “The sea of St George’s flags is not something to worry about, in that it does not represent xenophobia on the march. But given its attachment to identity politics, nor is it something to celebrate. People flying the Saint George’s flag are neither heroes nor villains – while those who would prefer us to curb such enjoyment are definitely worth getting in a flap about.”


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