I’ll read Julie Burchill’s stuff even when the subject, football, is not a major interest. Today I’m glad that this is my view of Ms Burchill’s writing as she’s come up with a gem of an article on the subject of when patriotism is allowed and disallowed by those who rule over us.

In her article Ms Burchill noted that it is when England are in football tournaments that the Establishment don’t turn their noses up at the Cross of St George flag. At other times it is derided by that same Establishment as signifying all that they despise about large parts of the British population. During football tournaments politicians from parties whose conferences are a sea of ‘Palestine’ flags treat with reverence the English national flag, a flag that they would gleefully wipe their arses on were it not for the football.

Ms Burchill’s full article for Spiked Magazine is of course well worth reading in full but below is one small portion that I thought deserved to be quoted.

Flying the flag for the duration of the Euros is like being a eunuch who’s permitted to have his nuts back for a couple of weeks – for old times’ sake – and wear them as earrings. But those who indulge must be sure to tear their St George’s down sharpish once the festivities are over, lest they be fingered as a fascist for liking their own flag more than others. Remember, the only flag that can be flown constantly now is the Pride flag. This must be saluted respectfully wherever it pops up – failure to do so may identify you as an unworthy citizen of Soft Play Pit Nation.

The attitudes of our hypocritical Establishment with regards the English flag are well described by Ms Burchill. The United Kingdom does have the wrong attitude to their national flags than other nations have. My recent visit to Israel showed me countless examples of a nations citizens who feel free and willing to fly their national flag. I noticed a contrast between the willingness and acceptability for Israelis to fly their national flag with attitudes to willingness in the UK to fly UK national flags on a day to day basis. In an article on the subject I lamented the fact that being united behind the national flag was normal for Israel but has been made not normal in Britain. I’d like to see more people flying UK national flags whether that be the Union Flag or the flags of the Home Nations. These are our flags and not only the property of an Establishment which contains elements that don’t seem to respect either the flags themselves nor the nation or the people that they represent. No Briton, whatever their race, sex or creed, should fear to fly any British or constituent nation, flags. Flying your own nation’s national flag should be a normal activity not treated, as too many on the left would like to see it treated, as some sordid action.