One in eight Labour voters thinks St George’s Cross is ‘racist’ | Politics | News | EUROtoday

The England flag is racist, divisive and should not be flown, based on one in eight Labour voters, a brand new ballot reveals. A examine carried out on behalf of former Tory treasurer Lord Ashcroft has revealed Labour voters are 13 occasions as doubtless as Tory voters to criticise the St George’s Cross as “racist and divisive”.

The ballot outcomes, printed forward of St George’s Day on Tuesday (April 23), additionally reveals practically three quarters of the 5,400 voters who took half within the examine imagine the cross represents England and nobody ought to take offence from it.

Seventy 4 % of voters general stated “no-one should be offended” by a flag that “represents England”, however the determine fell to 56 % of 2019 Labour voters, in contrast with 91 % of Tory supporters.

Only one % of Tory supporters stated the flag was “racist and divisive” and shouldn’t be flown, however the determine rose to 13 % amongst Labour voters, or one in eight.

The polling outcomes come after Labour chief Sir Keir Starmer tried to color the Tories as now not being a patriotic get together.

Sir Keir, writing in The Sunday Telegraph, accused the Conservatives of denigrating a few of Britain’s “proudest national institutions” and missing religion within the power of British identification to “withstand discussion”. He went on to put declare to the mantle of “the patriotic party”.

He spoke of his “pride and gratitude” at being English, saying Labour was “at its best when it has celebrated, defended and served the values” of Britain and British individuals, promising to “always put country above party”.

Asking whether or not the Conservative Party was “really capable of serving anything other than itself”, he stated: “I don’t think so.”

Labour has made quite a few efforts to recommend it’s a patriotic get together, together with displaying the Union Jack flag at get together conferences.

Lord Ashcroft’s polling additionally reveals assist for the Union flag is stronger in England than in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Asked which flag “best represents” them, 44 % of voters in England recognized the Union flag, whereas 10 % stated the Cross of St George and 29 % stated each.

Only 24 % of respondents in Wales stated the Union flag finest represented them, whereas 46 % recognized the Welsh flag and 23 % each.

In Scotland, simply 17 % recognized with the Union flag alone, in contrast with 51 % for the Saltire and 23 % saying each.