A former army reservist has criticised Sir Keir Starmer for “missing the point” about English identity with his St George’s Day comments.Michael Delaney told GB News that the Prime Minister’s decision to reference the Southport riots whilst discussing the English flag was inappropriate.The criticism comes after Starmer used a Downing Street reception marking St George’s Day to urge the public to “reclaim” the English flag from far-right rioters.Delaney argued that the PM’s attempt to “tie all these bad behaviours to the flag just totally misses the point of what Saint George’s Day is about.”Delaney told GB News: “I have to say I’m not that surprised at his tone today. “St George’s Day is a day that we celebrate being English. Distinctly English. And I think the Prime Minister is petrified of saying that being English is a distinctive thing. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS‘It’s pervasive’: St George’s Day row erupts as GB News guest says being English is ‘nothing to be proud of’‘People are scared!’ England’s most English town admits why ‘embarrassed’ locals won’t celebrate St George’s DayInside ‘England’s LEAST English town’… where St George’s Day could disappear forever”He’s talking about these values like unity and diversity, real vagaries, to be honest, because he’s terrified of not including absolutely everyone in the Saint George’s Day celebration.”He added: “I think today of all days is not the way, not the way to bring that one back up. If anything, it’s it’s probably the last day that you bring that up. We’ve already had a very thorough inquest into that.”People that committed the crimes in the riots have been arrested. I think that his attempt to tie all these bad behaviours to the flag just totally misses the point of what Saint George’s Day is about. “If we did that with every symbol. We’ve got work to do.”Speaking at a Downing Street reception on Tuesday evening, Sir Keir expressed concern about the far-right claiming ownership of the English flag.”I do understand the fight over the flag… but that’s why we’ve got to reclaim it. It belongs to all of us,” the Prime Minister said.He specifically referenced last year’s riots following the Southport stabbings, which were fuelled by online misinformation.Starmer recalled his visit to the scene, where he witnessed “people throwing bricks at the very same police officers I was shaking hands with.””And that’s why the battle for our flag is really important because that is what happened and that was only last year,” he added.The Prime Minister has previously attributed the Southport riots to far-right elements.
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