Let's fly our English flag with pride during the summer of sport | Alan Mak MP

For me, our national flags have always been a symbol of freedom, democracy, opportunity – and a collective national spirit and pride in our country.
Alan Mak is calling on residents to Fly the Flag this summer.Alan Mak is calling on residents to Fly the Flag this summer.
Alan Mak is calling on residents to Fly the Flag this summer.

As I work across the Havant Constituency, and wherever I travel across the country, I see people of all backgrounds show the same pride in our national flag.

This is often most visible during national commemorations such as VE Day or sporting occasions such as Wimbledon or now for a major football tournament.

People of diverse backgrounds fly the flag with pride.

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While a small minority, often on Twitter, might sneer at our flag or be embarrassed about what it represents, the overwhelming majority of British people are proud to fly our flag.

They do it from flagpoles outside their homes, draped from bedroom windows and fluttering from car doors.

The woke-ish minority might want to use our flag only as a reminder of what they believe we have done wrong in the past.

But as Ronald Reagan told Jimmy Carter in the 1980 US Presidential debate: nobody wants to be told constantly what is wrong with our country, especially when much of it isn’t true.

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Over the past three years, I’ve proudly run a Fly the Flag campaign, where I have given away more than 1,500 free Union and St George’s Flags.

Flag requests come in from a diverse cross-section of society, from veterans and business owners to school children, scout groups and churches. The quiet, patriotic majority have never been prouder to fly our flags.

This strong public support for our flag has undoubtedly encouraged the government to commit to flying the flag all year round on its buildings.

A survey this year confirmed an overwhelming majority support the new policy. We should go even further and fly the flag proudly from all public buildings, from police stations and council offices to schools and hospitals.

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During this Great British summer of sport, with England’s success in the Euro2020 football, Olympics and Lions Rugby, let’s use them as an opportunity to fly our flag with pride.

If you’re a Havant Constituency resident, I’ll send you a free flag. Apply online: www.alanmak.org.uk/Flag

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