I have read a couple of articles recently stating that in the 1990s the English began to reclaim the Cross of St George from the far right. Well, I have a couple of points to make...
1) The Cross of St George was never a symbol of racist groups. I don't even think you could buy that flag in this country. The idea is simply propaganda issued by the Chattering Classes and the New Labour loyals. The racist groups identified with Britain and the Union flag. That flag was the only national flag I ever saw in England in the 1970s and 1980s. And as for the 1960s, take a look at photographs of the country celebrating the 1966 World Cup win. The Union flag was THE flag in England.
2) The return of the St George's flag in the 1990s was simply due to its usage by the national football team, not symptomatic of any "healthier sense of English nationalism" or "reclaiming" of the flag from racist groups. Even if the CoSG had ever actually been the sole preserve of racists, the notion that anything so interesting as its wresting from their evil talons occurred in the smug 1990s is ridiculous. That decade thought itself wonderful without ever lifting a finger to be so - simply because it wasn't the 1980s.
3) After its re-emergence as a sporting emblem, the CoSG became more and more prevalent and more and more relevant as Blair and co discriminated against England at every opportunity, and began the process of dismantling the country into unelected regional assemblies.
And the flag's return all started with the beautiful game. Footie has done us a great favour.
Come on, England. Both on and OFF the pitch.
This blog is supportive of the aims of the Campaign for an English Parliament, but is in no way connected.
