A Good Morning Britain guest has sparked outrage by declaring the St George’s flag ‘racist’ and calling for it to be changed, amid a nationwide row over patriotic displays of British flags across the country.
Professor Kehinde Andrews, who teaches Black Studies at Birmingham City University, told hosts Adil Ray and Kate Garraway on Tuesday that England’s national flag “represents white supremacy” and suggested Britain should “get a new flag” during a heated debate about the ‘Operation Raise the Colours’ movement.
The controversial academic, who has previously branded the late Queen Elizabeth II “the number one symbol of white supremacy in the world” and claimed the British Empire was “far worse than the Nazis”, argued that the St George’s Cross has deep-rooted connections to racism and colonialism.
Councils Remove British Flags Citing ‘Safety’
The fiery debate comes as councils across England have begun removing Union Jack and St George’s flags hung by patriotic campaigners, sparking accusations of “two-tier bias” and hypocrisy. Birmingham city Council announced it would tear down hundreds of British flags from lampposts for “safety reasons”, despite allowing Palestinian flags to fly across the city for months following the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Tower Hamlets council in east London followed suit, vowing to remove St George’s flags “as soon as possible” after they were erected as part of the online ‘Operation Raise the Colours’ campaign. Critics pointed out that Palestinian flags had flown freely in the borough for months before being removed in March 2024 following complaints from Jewish residents who found them “oppressive and intimidating.
Council workers attempting to remove the flags in Tower Hamlets were met with abuse from campaigners who insisted they were not “racist” but simply “proud English men. The movement has spread rapidly across Birmingham, London, Bradford, Newcastle, Norwich and Swindon, with activists painting roundabouts with St George’s crosses in defiance of council bans.
‘Flags Represent Racism’ Claims Professor
Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Professor Andrews argued that far-right groups haven’t co-opted the flag but rather that people don’t understand Britain’s colonial history. Both of these flags are the flags that were flown on ships that enslaved my ancestors; those are the flags that the British Army marched into places like Pakistan, India, Bengal, Africa, and colonised 25 percent of the world,” he stated.
The professor insisted that the recent flag campaign was not benign patriotism, telling viewers: “Go and search ‘Operation Raise the Colours’ and you will find the same far-right, Little England, this nonsense-spewing about migrant hotels… this is what it’s about.”
He added provocatively: “People aren’t putting up these flags to celebrate Britain, they’re putting up this flag to remind us that Britain is white and we shouldn’t be here.
Opposition Voice Defends National Symbols
Taking the opposing view, Dr Rakib Ehsan, a race and identity writer, argued there was “absolutely nothing wrong” with displaying national flags. “In my view, there are many reasons why we should be proud of British identity. We should celebrate expressions of English pride,” he told the GMB panel.
Dr Ehsan acknowledged the flag’s association with far-right groups but maintained it could be a symbol of unity, stating: “I actually think when I see ethnic minority people expressing pride in their Britishness, celebrating their sense of belonging in England, I think that’s the perfect antidote, a great counter-challenge to far-Right activity.”
However, Andrews remained unmoved, insisting: “These flags, these symbols, they represent white supremacy. You’re never going to get a large majority who will never look at that flag and never see anything but intimidation. Change the flag. If we’re saying Britain’s changed, change the flag.”
Host Reveals Personal Concerns
GMB host Adil Ray weighed into the debate, revealing his own discomfort with flag displays. “We can’t deny that there is a certain association between the St George’s flag and far-right racism. How do we combat that? It can be unnerving and unsettling,” he said.
Ray recounted a recent journey to Birmingham where he found himself questioning whether he was entering “far-right territory” due to displays of St George’s crosses, highlighting the complex emotions the flag can evoke for some British citizens.
Political Figures Condemn Council Actions
The flag removal has drawn sharp criticism from political figures. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick condemned the councils’ actions, stating: “Tower Hamlets council have allowed Palestinian flags to be publicly displayed on lampposts but not the flag of our country. This absurd national self-loathing must end. This is yet more two-tier bias against the British people.”
Former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith echoed these sentiments, asking: “Why would we leave [Palestinian flags] up and take down flags that represent one of the countries of the UK?”
Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman called national flags “a great source of pride and patriotism” that “should be flown from as many places as possible as often as possible”, citing government guidance from 2021 that states “flags are a very British way of expressing joy and pride.
Online Reaction Divided
The Good Morning Britain segment sparked fierce debate online, with many viewers expressing outrage at Professor Andrews’ comments. One viewer fumed: “This is England, the English will fly their flag as and when they want to, WHEREVER they want to.
Others questioned the controversy, with one asking: “Why are we arguing about the British flag?! We are in Britain! In Greece they have their flag everywhere so do Italy, Spain, all over Europe.”
The ‘Operation Raise the Colours‘ movement has received support from controversial figures including Tommy Robinson (Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) and far-right groups, raising concerns about the motivations behind the campaign. However, participants maintain they are expressing legitimate patriotic pride rather than promoting divisive ideologies.
Professor’s Controversial Track Record
Professor Andrews has a history of inflammatory statements about British institutions and symbols. He once declared Winston Churchill a “clear racist” and claimed that songs like “Rule, Britannia!” and “Land of Hope and Glory” were racist. In 2021, he described the late Queen as “the number one symbol of white supremacy in the entire world” and has called for the abolition of the monarchy.
As the UK’s first professor of Black Studies, Andrews founded Europe’s first Black Studies programme at Birmingham City University and regularly appears on television to debate issues of race and identity, often sparking controversy with his provocative views.
The flag debate highlights ongoing tensions about national identity, patriotism and the symbols that represent modern Britain, with communities divided over whether displays of the St George’s Cross and Union Jack represent legitimate pride or serve as dog whistles for more sinister ideologies.
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