Neville‘s Commentary on Flag displays Echoes Orwell‘s Vision of English Identity
Doha, Qatar – Sky Sports commentator Gary Neville sparked debate following England‘s Euro 2024 match against Denmark, questioning the increasingly prominent display of flags at sporting events. his comments have resonated wiht observations made decades ago by George Orwell, who posited that a lack of overt, reflexive patriotism – specifically “flag-wagging” – was a defining characteristic of English resilience and character.
In his 1941 essay The Lion and the Unicorn, written in support of the war effort against German fascism, Orwell celebrated the fact that “the working man’s heart does not leap when he sees a union jack,” and that English patriotism was frequently enough “not vocal or even conscious.” He described England as “a strange mixture of reality and illusion, democracy and privilege, humbug and decency.”
Neville’s sentiment taps into this same idea – that true freedom lies in not feeling compelled to demonstrate patriotism through symbolic gestures.Orwell also cautioned against stagnation,urging England to “be true to herself” and condemning the treatment of refugees,stating England was not being true to herself “while the refugees who have come to our shores are penned up in concentration camps.”
Orwell famously criticized sport for its potential to weaponize nationalism and glorify victory,a prescience highlighted by the current geopolitical context.He observed that the last two hosts of the men’s World Cup,and the next,are embroiled in conflict,leading him to conclude that ”sport is now war plus the shooting.” England football historically lacked widespread flag displays until the 1980s, when some flags appeared bearing National Front slogans.
The author acknowledges a shift in the cultural landscape, suggesting the nuanced English identity Orwell described may be increasingly difficult to maintain in an era dominated by ”hive mind, shout-politics, algorithm life.” He likens Britain to “a strange, small, damp archipelago marooned at the jumping-off point between the continents.”
However, the piece concludes with a hopeful note, referencing Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 and the power of simple dissent. Just as Major de Coverley’s demand to “Give everybody Eat” deflated a zealous loyalty campaign, a continued challenge to performative patriotism remains vital. While acknowledging Neville’s contradictions, the author ultimately frames him as a distinctly “English type of patriot” for initiating this conversation.
