Nigel Farage and former Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon came to blows today during a heated debate over patriotic displays across England.
The row erupted over whether flying the St George’s Cross is a legitimate show of patriotism or a sign of divisive nationalism.
Speaking on GB News, Mr Hoon said: "What the Prime Minister was clearly trying to do is draw a distinction between using a flag in a proper way to support this country and using a flag to intimidate people.
"No one can object to the use of the Union Flag. I am British, that’s my flag, and I don’t believe anyone can challenge you for using it."
Geoff Hoon clashed with Nigel Farage in a row over flags
|GB NEWS
"What I’m less sure about is the Cross of Saint George. That is the English flag.
"When England play football or rugby, it’s perfectly fine for it to be displayed. But why are people flying the Cross of Saint George and claiming that it is somehow patriotic?
GB News host Nigel Farage hit back: "You’re obviously in the Emily Thornberry camp, looking down your nose at people who fly it."
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Outraged, Mr Hoon said: "On the contrary, I don’t look down my nose at anyone."
Nigel said: "Well, she did ten years ago, and it didn’t go down very well."
Mr Hoon fumed: "That isn’t fair. I don’t look down my nose at anyone. What I’m trying to make is a distinction between the flag of a British citizen, which is the Union Flag, and the Cross of Saint George, which is the flag of England."
Nigel bit back: "What’s wrong with Englishness?"
Mr Hoon said: "Nothing at all. What is wrong is English nationalism. We are a united country. We don’t believe it’s necessary to promote nationalism at the expense of being British.
"You were part of governments that allowed Scottish, Welsh, and Irish nationalism but we can’t be English nationalists. We can be English and proud of being English, especially when England play football or rugby.
"But it’s not appropriate to put up the Cross of Saint George instead of the Union Flag, because the flag we owe our allegiance to is the Union Flag. We are British."
Nigel said: "I feel that I can be English and British. I see no contradiction."
Nigel Farage bit back at the former defence secretary
|GB NEWS
These incidents occurred against the backdrop of Saturday's Unite the Kingdom demonstration in central London.
The event drew approximately 150,000 participants to the capital.
Metropolitan Police reported significant disruption during the rally, with 26 officers sustaining injuries, some suffering dental damage.
Authorities detained 25 individuals following violent confrontations with law enforcement.
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