Labour Party Leader Faces Backlash over Use of Union Jack Flag for Fear of Offending Ethnic Minorities

DUDLEY, ENGLAND- MARCH 28: The Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer and Deputy Leader Angela Ray
Eddie Keogh/Getty Images
Kurt Zindulka

UK Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer is reportedly facing internal backlash from within his own party for the use of the British Union Jack flag in campaign material over concerns that it could alienate ethnic minority voters.

Sir Keir’s attempts at rebranding the left-wing Labour Party as “patriotic” and centrist after the far-left turn taken under his socialist predecessor Jeremy Corbyn, has sparked pushback, with the Labour leader coming under fire for the move to feature the British flag prominently on the campaign trail.

According to a report from the Guardian newspaper, the move is regarded by some as “definitely detrimental” to Labour in areas with large ethnic minority populations, which are seen as key to the party’s prospects of winning the next general election.

One member of parliament told the left-wing paper: “We are all really proud of our country but this can be a complex issue for some communities and we have to navigate that more carefully.

“For a lot of communities we are talking about colours that are associated with the National Front or another far-right group.”

A second MP told the paper: “I can see how it would work in some places but it’s definitely detrimental in university towns, and in heavily BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) seats.”

Meanwhile, a councillor in the South Coast added: “I’ve seen boxes of the leaflets being piled up because activists don’t want to give them out.”

The party defended the use of patriotic symbolism and the Union Jack, with a party spokesman saying: “Keir’s changed Labour Party is positive, progressive and patriotic. The Union flag is something we are proud to carry.”

Abdi Duale, a member of Labour’s National Executive Committee added: “Britain’s strength is in its diversity and our communities are hugely proud of our nation and its flag.

“Labour is running a proudly progressive and patriotic campaign that celebrates all our communities and that includes using our flag.”

Yet, the story has been seen as confirmation of the anti-British sentiments of many within the left-wing party’s voter base.

Reform UK Deputy Leader Ben Habib said per the Press Association that the Labour Party should be “ashamed of itself,” saying that the report “tells you everything you need to know about the hijacking and breaking of our wonderful country”.

Conservative Party Deputy Chairman Jack Lopresti commented: “Sir Keir Starmer claims to have changed the Labour Party but no matter how much he wraps himself in the flag, he can’t even stop his candidates from doing Britain down.”

In recent months, Starmer has also faced considerable backlash over his attempts at holding a moderate position on the Israel-Hamas conflict, with members of his Shadow Cabinet resigning in November from their posts after the Labour leader demand that they vote against a measure to call on Israel to agree to a ceasefire.

Nevertheless, the party continues to hold a double-digit lead over the Conservative Party, with polling guru John Curtice claiming that Labour is 99 per cent likely to defeat the Conservatives in the next general election, which will likely occur this Autumn.

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