St George’s Day is over, politicians can go back to being British again

It’s 24th April which means politicians and pundits can go back to being British for another year.

It’s traditional for British nationalists to mark St George’s Day by demanding we reclaim our flag from the far right and remind us that St George wasn’t English and this year didn’t disappoint.

The UK Prime Minister issued a statement demanding that we “wrench” our flag from those who cause division, referring to those unsavoury elements of society who usually drape themselves in the union flag the other 364 days of the year. Meanwhile, politicians who will perform linguistic gymnastics to avoid having to mention England at any other time were falling over themselves to display their English credentials for the day.

Social media was full of memes explaining that St George was Middle Eastern and never set foot in England. The intention, of course, is to try and diminish England’s national day but in reality they’re just reminding everyone that one of the most diverse and open countries in the world has the most diverse patron saint in the world.

The singling out of England and the English for this unique treatment – denigrating our country on our national day, repeating this false narrative of toxic Englishness and perpetuating negative stereotypes – is racial discrimination in itself. Ignoring the rising hate-fuelled nationalism present in Scotland and Wales under the banner of their national flags whilst holding every English person accountable for the actions of a small minority of Anglo-British nationalists is divisive and discriminatory.

It has to stop.

There is much to be proud of in England – it is the birthplace of the industrial revolution, the mother of parliamentary democracy, the birthplace of human rights and natural justice – and we should be allowed to be proud of our history, our culture and our country without British nationalist politicians and sneering pundits belittling them.

And finally …

There has been some discussion (fuelled by clickbait newspaper headlines – you can guess which ones) about whether St George’s Day actually happened yesterday or whether it’s been postponed to the 28th. The Feast of St George has been moved to the 28th in the liturgical calendar as saint’s days are not celebrated during Eastertide. This has no effect whatsoever on St George’s Day in the secular calendar which continues to be held on 23rd April irrespective of what date Easter falls on.