By trying to make patriotism and righteousness a major vote-winning plank politicians flirt with polarisation of the country where extremism flourishes and reasoned behaviour with decent values is sidelined. Is it time for Starmer, Badenoch, Farage and Davey to take to the podium together declaring unity on patriotism and the war on antisemitism and other racism?
SELF-RIGHTEOUS HYPOCRISY FUELS PATRIOTISM BANDWAGON
Polls indicate that Reform party is now the voters’ favourite. The party has no economic policies to speak of, no plans to put the UK on a sound footing, or any special talents or people, bar the apparently charismatic Nigel Farage. And, with Brexit in the past, his only well-known platform is a hard line towards migrants. Why is Reform in such favour? Do people turn to Reform, not because they are convinced by its wisdom and values, but simply to spite the rest, especially disillusioned still with the Conservatives and now with Labour who some see as dismantling the country. Many of these voters are not especially right wing, and it is also important to remember that being right of centre is not an evil but simply a reasonable political viewpoint to be argued against by those who disagree, such as those left of centre. Extreme right wing, such as Naziism, or extreme socialism, are however an existential risk to democracy.
In the USA the politics has become polarised where Democrats and Republicans no longer seek common ground, but it seems pour vitriol on each other: could it perhaps be that most USA voters are not as extreme as the politicians? Does the UK risk the same polarisation? The country’s leaders, that is of all parties, should perhaps unite to prevent it, as once polarisation takes hold it will be hard to dislodge.
The Labour party conference saw a roll out of an anti-Reform strategy aimed at portraying Labour as the good guys, morally superior, reasonable and caring, and Reform as simply racist and evil. Keir Starmer has perhaps adopted a strategy which is designed by constant repetition of derogatory insults, to establish a narrative, in the minds of the electorate whether true or false, which is hard to dispel. This is not a new strategy but is reminiscent of that used in opposition against Boris Johnson and the Conservatives portraying them as corrupt wastrels.
In this case to discredit Farage is to repeatedly call him bad and racist, a man who is not a patriot, the only true patriots, at least by implication, being Labour supporters. That David Lammy, with no evidence, associated Farage with Nazi youth was the epitome of this ill-judged and most unattractive approach. Starmer sold himself to the British people as the man standing for decency in politics, transparency and truth and honesty. His self-righteousness is on his sleeve. This is the strategy of divisiveness but it could alienate those who support Farage now but who are far from extremists. Starmer has become synonymous with grandiose promises, such as being driven by growth of the economy, and taking action which achieves the opposite. A hypocrisy perhaps at the heart of government?
WHERE ARE THE VOICES OF REASON AND RESPECT NOT HATRED?
Patriotism is not a dirty word, but the media sometimes portray it as such. The British flag, the Union Jack to give it the traditional name, is not a battle ground, nor are the national flags of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In other countries national flags are respected. Respect is all that we need. Rabble-rousing is pernicious.
Patriotism it seems is to become a political football. Love for country, pride in history and common bonds of religion, language and values bind and connect the British tribes and there is nothing wrong with that. It is a special feature that those values welcome members of other tribes by immigration, but those newcomers have to respect and integrate with the indigenous population, and this has mostly happened successfully. But the new cultures cannot overwhelm or even contradict the national culture, which should prevail if national identity, as patriotism requires, is to thrive.
Patriotism and immigration are being set against one another by extremists from the Right and Left wings, and instead they need to walk in tandem: but perhaps mistakes have been made. Freedom of speech which does not accord with some minority themes has been cancelled or attacked. Ideas like “white privilege” , invented to promote a minority cause, have been allowed to permeate and undermine indigenous people. That there are programmes of employment where people of colour are given preference over local English, and especially white men who are discouraged from applying for a job, is a racist outrage. Jews having become over ten times more likely to suffer hate crime than other minority groups is a shame on the whole UK.
The extremists in Reform and Labour seek to foment hatred of their opponents rather than using the power of argument as we used to. Voices of reason and of true British culture, that is democratic debate and respect, need to rise to the fore and condemn the insults which have been flung. People who have migrated here and are patriotic should be treated with equal respect. Equally should it not be admitted that minority elements and races are not destined or entitled to undue influence or special treatment, while being welcomed and encouraged to contribute positively to the British society which they join. Bad behaviour by immigrant minorities must be condemned equally with bad behaviour by local British. Pro-Palestinian protests which are patently antisemitic have not been controlled. And now Jihadist Muslims have brazenly attacked a synagogue.
Every country wishes to control its borders. Immigration has to be controlled everywhere. To do so is not racist. Racism itself is to be appalled, but its evil must not be devalued by calling racist those people with whom one disagrees on how to control those borders. Please can the voices of reason and fair values stand up and be counted, restoring respect in the democratic arena of debate. Let’s condemn the physical and verbal thugs, while respecting freedom of speech and opinion.
Politics should surely not be polarised in a fight for the soul of the country but should be used to promote debate, respect, democracy and success, not personal aggrandisement. Hyperbolic insults do nothing but fan flames. Let old-fashioned argument decide the duels.
The Manchester Synagogue attack is a wake-up call: will we wake-up?
