It wasn’t the Left that made people ‘ashamed’ of the flag, it was the racist National Front and the BNP going on Paki bashing sprees and singing ‘there’s no black in the union jack’ that led to the flag being co-opted by racists and nazis for an entire generation so that ‘the flag’ became a virtual symbol of racist hate. It’s only begun to be reclaimed in the last few years, but its typical of unthinking, belligerent knee-jerks to blame all that on the big demon ‘left’.

With respect this is bollocks. If people aren’t to hot on the st georges cross it may have something to do with its perceived links to football hooliganism and the far right.

For those of us celebrating St George’s day on the 23rd April your post is typical of the sort of slight (late) glance normally granted to a day that should rank alongside Paddy’s for festivity.

If only the left hadn’t made us all ashamed of the flag.

Nice idea about a new definition of England. What’s your thesis in the book, for those of us debating a purchase?

So confusing us would be quite understandable.