I’m proud to be British – and I’m not embarrassed to admit it

I love my country. There, I said it. 

And no, I’m not a frothing racist or a far-right activist. I’m not even a Conservative. 

I’m a patriot. I’m proud of my country – and you should be too. 

For too long, patriotism in Britain has been hijacked, and I am sick to the deepest pit in my stomach of cringing every time a far-right thug or opportunistic political voice drapes themselves in the Union Flag, weaponises our national symbols and whitewashes our heritage. 

From Tommy Robinson to Laurence Fox and Nigel Farage, these faux patriots use red, white and blue bunting as a backdrop for division. They have twisted British patriotism into a cheap political prop to slam the other side with.

Yet, I am equally frustrated with the liberal left who wince at the thought of patriotism – or worse still, shame me for loving our country.

If we surrender our country and flag to the far-right, the negative consequences will impact us all. 

I am everything you’ve been warned about: a liberal, pro-European, anti-Trump, anti-Putin, wokerati, DEI-supporting, internationalist, vegetarian lefty. (Phew, I think I got them all in there.) 

But I’m also an unashamed patriot who is proud of his nation and will sometimes even go so far as to say the UK might be the greatest country in the world.

The problem today is that being a patriot has become synonymous with narrow-minded nationalism and far-right extremism. 

It’s been lumped together with xenophobic slogans, exclusionary politics and misplaced declinism. 

Being proud of our country is my right – and boy, do we have some things to be proud of. 

Throughout history, in almost every field – from health to science and transport to human rights – we have led the way. 

It was Manchester scientist Alan Turing whose groundbreaking work cracking the Nazis’ Enigma code helped bring the Second World War to an early end – saving countless lives and laying the foundations for modern computing.

And he’s hardly the only Brit to transform the world – I barely need to mention Stephen Hawking, Charles Darwin, Jane Austen or William Shakespeare.

We kickstarted public transport, invented the World Wide Web, revolutionised nursing and changed science forever.

We pushed boundaries and built a legacy of courage, creativity, and conviction that can only be found on our tiny island.

Even now, we don’t just contribute to global culture and sport – we define it. Britain’s football clubs are adored everywhere, and our music has reached every inch of the planet.

Big-screen icons like James Bond, Harry Potter and Wallace & Gromit have captivated audiences worldwide and, with series like Doctor Who, Sherlock and The Crown, our television is undeniably the gold standard.

We have a strong public sector, a fair justice system, high animal welfare standards, and fundamental rights like same-sex marriage and safe, legal abortion are non-negotiable. 

When Britain shows up, we don’t just participate – we lead. 

I’m immensely proud of our history of defending neighbours in times of crisis and welcoming those in need. 

When Hitler invaded Poland, over 400,000 Brits made the ultimate sacrifice to defeat fascism.

When Putin invaded Ukraine, we didn’t even take a breath before picking a side. Brits opened their arms, taking in over 200,000 refugees and now we are leading the ‘Coalition of the Willing’, working flat out to secure Ukraine’s victory through aid, funding and military support.

Yet, there’s no denying our past is complicated. I acknowledge and regret the injustices wrought by the British Empire, the deplorable legacy of the transatlantic slave trade, and the prejudices that prevailed in our society. 

I know that for many people – particularly those of ethnic minority descent – the horror of Britain’s past, and the inequalities that persist today, make it difficult to feel pride in our country.

That discomfort is valid and modern patriotism must make space for that uncomfortable truth, because we are not perfect today.

I don’t believe in continued British expansionism and the hangover of the Empire still wreaks havoc today – right on our doorstep.

I continue to find the partition of Ireland deeply troubling – a century-old conflict where British rule in the North remains contested, power-sharing is fragile, and a fictional border drawn by Westminster still fuels division.

I find it entirely unsurprising that former colonies like Barbados want to cut ties with us completely.

But my ability to hold multiple truths at once – pride in our national story and sorrow for the darker elements of its past, and sadly sometimes its present – reflects a maturity that all Britons, particularly those on the left, must learn to embrace.

It’s time to forge a new era of patriotism, in which democracy, the rule of law, compassion and the embrace of diversity are our undeniable bedrock.

At its core, the United Kingdom is a reflective, compassionate, forward-looking country. 

Those of us on the liberal left and sensible right have a responsibility to make it better, not surrender it to those who peddle division and nostalgia for a past that never truly existed. 

When the world sees the Union Flag, it should be a proud projection of shared hope, responsibility and democracy, not a symbol of exclusion and division.

But it’s on all of us to make that symbolism a fact.  

Patriotism is not anyone’s to weaponise, and it shouldn’t be anyone’s to abandon. I’m proud of my country, and I refuse to let anyone take that from me. 

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing jess.austin@metro.co.uk. 

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