ITV viewers were left up in arms on Tuesday morning when a Good Morning Britain guest suggested it was time for England to get rid of the St George's flag.
The symbol has become a point of contention this week after councils across the country announced plans to remove the flags if they're hoisted and attached to lampposts and other public fixtures by "patriotic" activists.
Supporters have argued that members of the public should be able to display the flag wherever and whenever with pride. Critics and councils have argued that it is the law that flags cannot be erected on a whim.
To discuss what the flag means to the British public, GMB hosts Adil Ray and Kate Garraway welcomed Kehinde Andrews, Professor of Black Studies at Birmingham City University, and identity writer Dr Rakib Ehsan to the ITV show on Tuesday.
**ARE YOU READING THIS ON OUR APP? DOWNLOAD NOW FOR THE BEST GB NEWS EXPERIENCE**
ITV GMB: A debate about St George's flags caused uproar on Tuesday
|ITV
Andrews was firmly in the camp that the symbol was provocative and now synonymous with racism, while Ehsan argued members of the public should take pride in the flag.
"This is the problem (with the flag)," Andrews began. "It's not that the far-right has co-opted the flag., It's that we don't understand what this country is and the history of both of these symbols."
Gesturing to a St George's cross and the Union Jack behind him, Andrews went on: "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.
"The reason the far-right picks up these flags is because these flags represent the racism that they are putting out into the world.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
ITV GMB: Kehinde Andrews
|ITV
"This campaign of putting these flags up, this is not some benign 'let's just be patriotic'... 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.
"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."
Ehsan had a different point of view. "In my view, there are many reasons why we should be proud of British identity," he argued.
"We should celebrate expressions of English pride. If I just speak from a personal perspective, I think that Britain has a rich tradition of religious freedom. I also think that, compared to other European countries, it fares much better in terms of anti-discrimination laws against its minorities.
ITV GMB: Rakib Ehsan
|ITV
"So I think the point to make is people relate to the flags very differently, but if I talk about my personal experience, I've lived in Luton all my life, so I can understand, to some people, why the St George's cross can come across quite intimidating and menacing because the EDL was born in my hometown.
"But 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 and those groups that ultimately want to take ownership of those flags."
Andrews was dismayed. "How can it be a counter-challenge if the reason they're putting this (flag) up there is to remind you that you're British?" he asked.
"These protests, what are these protests about? There's nothing to protest if you're British and it's your country, etc, etc. So when people use the flag in that way, which they are doing, how can it be to counter the far-right to wave the same flag?"
ITV GMB: Adil Ray
|ITV
Ray then cut in to mediate, suggesting that observers do not know that those waving the St George's flag are far-right protesters. "We don't know for certain that everyone who waves a flag is protesting; they may well be celebrating Britain," he argued.
Ray then pointed out that a number of countries across the globe have a history that has colonial ties or slavery links. But Andrews refused to be swayed.
Turning his attention to the British Empire, he hit back: "If you look at the prosperity that Britain is supposed to be celebrating, it's built on the back of slavery, genocide, and colonialism, and it's not different today."
Garraway then chipped in to ask whether Andrews would like to see the removal of flags at events like the Olympics or when celebrating national sporting triumphs like the recent Lionesses' Euros victory.
ITV GMB: Kehinde Andrews clashed with Rakib Ehsan
|ITV
Ray then weighed back in. "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."
The GMB host then brought up a recent journey home to Birmingham, where he found himself questioning if he was entering far-right territory due to the display of St George's crosses.
Ehsan suggested there were plenty of ethnic minority groups who can buy into Britishness and have a "strong sense of belonging", although he acknowledged that the flag has become associated with far-right groups to critics.
He once again suggested that minority groups adopting the flag and embracing Britishness would convert its weaponisation by the far-right.
"What is wrong with displaying the Union flag or the St. George's Cross in a patriotic way, even if some far-right groups have co-opted it?"@kategarraway and @adilray discuss the displaying of flags with Kehinde Andrews, Professor of Black Studies at Birmingham City… pic.twitter.com/qcp1bCEPHo
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) August 19, 2025
However, Ehsan failed to convince Andrews. "This is very clearly not the way," he fired back. "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. They say there ain't no black in the Union Jack, there still isn't."
The debate ended amicably as the panel jokingly discussed what may feature on a new flag if it were redesigned today.
However, it's safe to say the jovial feeling wasn't reciprocated by viewers at home, many of whom were left furious with Andrews' stance on the issue.
On X, one viewer raged: "This is the exact reason the country is on its a**e. Idiots like this saying a country's flag is a symbol of hate when actually it's the wokeness of the country which has made it that way, and the way authorities force things down your throat."
Another argued it was "patriotic", pointing out: "When there are royal celebrations, the flags go out and all communities celebrate together, it is the UK, so why should the flags not be flying 24/7?"
St George's flags have sprung up on lampposts across the country
| GETTY"I’m so upset and angry at this 'professor'," a third hit out. "He obviously hates everything about us as a country and race! He is being provocative."
A fourth echoed: "Any country you visit flies their own flag, and so they should, why try and stop us from flying ours! Get out if you don't like it here! Fly the flag today!"
Another concurred: "What the biggest load of s***e..the reason the flags are flying them is we are proud and getting fed up with other countries thinking this is their country!!! This is Britain, and only the 4 nations' flag should ever be flown on our soil!"
"I love our flags and I am not far right or racist," a sixth weighed in. "You cannot change our flags just because you don't like them."
However, there were some viewers who appeared to side with Andrews' argument. "It’s not being patriotic though is it? We all know why it’s happening," one X user fired back at the complaints.
And a second diplomatically added: "They both made good points." (sic)