"England's colours were everywhere plastered on sweatshirts and painted over faces, fluttering from flags and the mood was unmistakably joyful. For this was of course the Women's Rugby World Cup final, not some ominous raise the colours rally: a chance to remember that the St George's cross doesn't belong to people who daub it on roundabouts to frighten the neighbours, that there is still a kind of Englishness that inspires"
"So it was a relief to hear the new home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, articulate clearly that weekend what should always have been Labour's line on both the English and British flags: that, as the English-born daughter of Pakistani-born parents, she sees herself in them and is all for their use as a symbol of unity, but not as a means to exclude and divide."
In Twickenham the Women's Rugby World Cup final showcased a joyful, inclusive English patriotism with flags and supporters expressing a hopeful national identity. The Red Roses and other national teams embody a message that sporting victories belong to everyone regardless of gender, race, or sexuality. Home secretary Shabana Mahmood, as an English-born daughter of Pakistani parents, affirmed that English and British flags can symbolize unity without exclusion. Labour is shifting to condemn Reform UK's immigration proposals and to promote a politics of belonging that aims to welcome newcomers while acknowledging that some British-born voters feel isolated in fast-changing communities.
Read at www.theguardian.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]