Keir Starmer asks Labour candidates to ‘fly the flag’ on St George’s Day

Keir Starmer has written to all of Labour’s general election candidates urging them to mark St George’s Day “with enthusiasm” and to “fly the flag” across the country as he attempts to outmanoeuvre the Tories on national identity.

However, Starmer told the candidates that “real patriotism” was not just about respecting shared “symbols and sentiments”, but also about serving the country, whether that was through the armed forces, the NHS or as politicians.

Starmer’s shadow cabinet will gather “deep in the English countryside” on Monday for a primarily symbolic meeting at which he will argue that patriotism is a force for good, including in breeding the next generation of sporting talent.

Separately, Starmer is facing discontent from Labour MPs over the prominent use of the union flag in election campaign material amid concern that it may alienate ethnic minority voters and others.

A group called “progressive activists” – described by More In Common as being most likely to vote for Labour, the Greens and the SNP – were the only segment in which a majority (69%) replied “bad”, compared with 31% among other respondents.

In his letter, Starmer wrote: “Whether it’s establishing Nato and the NHS as monuments to our collective sacrifice in the 1940s, or the renewal of our public realm at the start of this century, Labour is at its best when it has celebrated, defended and served the values of our country and its people.