Across Yorkshire, we’ve all seen them: the England flags fluttering from lampposts, poles, and bridges. To some, they seem a harmless expression of pride in one’s country. Indeed, in the words of the Raise the Colours Campaign UK, the flags are part of a campaign for “unity and patriotism“. But others see their sudden proliferation as a statement of exclusion – messages about who really belongs here, and who doesn’t.
In an increasingly polarised political climate, it’s important to consider the use of such symbols, to look beyond black-and-white statements about what they mean.
At a recent debate hosted by the University of York’s Dialectic Union about the Raise the Colours campaign, a supporter argued that the England flag really is just a symbol of pride and unity. He pointed out that we see it flying at sports events or on national holidays or memorial days, and no one objects. No one claims those flags are divisive, in fact the opposite is true: we unite behind the flag for a shared cause, whether cheering on the Lionesses or honouring those who fell in wartime.
Weaponising St George
But there are other contexts. A flag in a stadium is not the same as the one flapping anonymously from a lamppost during a period that has seen a backlash against anti-racism. Britain is experiencing a sharp rise in anti-immigrant rhetoric, a surge in support for Reform UK, and a rash of far-right protests. It can be argued that the symbol of St George’s cross is being manipulated by certain individuals to weaponise a sense of belonging.
This is not new – below seemingly positive terms like ‘national pride’, ‘patriotism’, and ‘unity’ lie historically sinister undertones. Such language mirrors the tactics of far-right groups like the English Defence League and Britain First, whose use of national symbols arguably stokes fear and resentment toward immigrants and minorities. Many will find the Raise the Colours Campaign divisive and unwelcoming: the very opposite of the ‘unity’ it supposedly stands for.
This matters because symbols do not float freely above politics. They gain meaning as we speculate on the intentions of those using them and the way people react to them. In the context of the Raise the Colours campaign, when public discourse is thick with talk of ‘small boats’, ‘invasions’, and ‘taking our country back’, it is easy to conclude flag flyers are acting with divisive intent. But we shouldn’t paint every participant with the same brush, and should remember some truly believe in national unity.
Flags linked to racially motivated crime
Nevertheless, let’s look at the impact of the campaign: as Buki Mosaku, speaker at the Dialectic Union’s debate described, the flags he sees displayed across Yorkshire and the UK do not feel unifying at all. Born in London to Nigerian parents, the flag-flying makes him and others from minority backgrounds feel unwelcome and targeted.
The York Human Rights City Network points out how the flags pose a “risk of fostering an environment conducive to hate speech” and also how uncomfortable they make those from ethnic minorities feel. Indeed, the network carried out research to demonstrate a correlation with the raising of flags on public lampposts and racially motivated incidents or crimes against minorities in York.
This sense of exclusion runs counter to everything Yorkshire represents. Our region’s story has always turned on movement, migration, and community. From Roman soldiers, Viking traders, medieval Jewish communities and industrial-era migrants, to today’s international refugees, Yorkshire has been shaped and enriched by its diversity.
The irony is painful: those flying the flag in the name of ‘protecting English heritage’ are in fact rejecting the diverse minorities that created it. Even the fact that we are flying the St George’s cross – obviously now an English symbol, but one with very different origins, the saint himself being a Roman from modern-day Turkey!
Avoiding unfair assumptions
Local councils are increasingly aware of these sensitivities. York City Council has acknowledged the distress caused and released statements regarding the flags. Council leader Clair Douglas points out that while “it is right to have a deep pride” in our country and our home, “we should also be aware that flying the flag unfortunately stirs memories for some members of our communities of their experience of racism and persecution”.
Her words capture the central tension: the same flag can be a symbol of reassurance and pride for one resident, and a symbol of threat for another.
It would be unfair and counterproductive to assume that everyone flying an England flag seeks to make immigrants feel unwelcome. Nonetheless, we cannot shy away from the more uncomfortable truth: for some, exclusion is the point. The far right has spent years cultivating a narrative of English identity under threat, by migrants, Muslims, the ‘woke left’, or anyone who doesn’t conform to their narrow image of belonging.
Claire Douglas goes on to say she wants to meet and talk to those who organise the flag flying as well as those who feel threatened by it. The flag flyers have expressed a willingness to get involved in community activities like litter picking and supporting foodbanks – all encouraging ideas.
Constructive moves for future unity
The challenge is to avoid either extreme: neither ignoring the divisive origins and effects of the campaign, nor dismissing the genuine pride and desire for unity felt by some campaigners. If we want to address the overall impact of Raise the Colours, we need to interrogate both.
So if Yorkshire (and England) is to reclaim the St George’s cross as a symbol that reflects its diverse communities and history, we need to recognise the full picture rather than picking sides. We can’t dismiss the painful experiences of ethnic minorities who feel threatened, but we need to ensure we have constructive discussions about a way forward that makes everyone feel included.
This means talking frankly about the lived experiences of the minorities who must walk beneath these flags every day, the damaging rise of populist far-right ideas that motivate those who adopt the flag as a symbol of exclusion, and the many of us who genuinely look toward future unity and a shared national pride.
