Labour Must Stop Repulsed by Englishness

Tristram Hunt

The Labour Party’s English Problem

It is refreshing to read that a Labour MP understands the party needs to engage with the concerns being expressed across England. Since its inception, the Workers of England Union has campaigned for an English Parliament because we believe it is the best way for working rights in England to be protected. Unlike Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland—which each have their own TUC—England lacks its own national trade union congress, and our aim is to ensure English workers are treated fairly.

In Exeter, a council house window displayed a St George’s Cross with the warning: “If this flag offends you, why not consider moving to another country?” Canvassers on Labour MP Ben Bradshaw’s 2015 campaign assumed the sticker meant ‘Against Labour’. Yet inside was a household of solid Labour voters—supporting a party that too often seems offended by its own flag. The truth is that while many members embrace Britishness, too few value Englishness—fearing connotations of ethnicity and chauvinism. One activist even asked, “Why don’t you just join the British National Party?”

Historical Context: From Morris to Brown

It is striking that the movement of William Morris, Robert Blatchford, J.B. Priestley and Elizabeth Longford could lose sight of its English sensibility. A distinct strand of nonconformity, radicalism and patriotism was embodied by Clement Attlee. Yet as more voters identify as English rather than British, Labour is moving in the wrong direction.

The apex of British Labourism came on 17 September 2014, when Gordon Brown delivered a powerful eve-of-referendum sermon, urging Scottish voters to save the Union. Brown invoked the legacy of Adam Smith and James Watt, making the case for socialism, not separatism. By campaigning alongside the Conservatives, however, Labour sacrificed itself north of the border and failed to present a genuine federalist vision.

The Aftermath of the 2014 Referendum

The referendum accelerated a historic shift: as the Empire, Protestantism and even Westminster’s pre-eminence waned, nationalism filled the void. Pollster John Curtice described the 2015 election as four separate contests across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Labour never offered a credible federalist alternative, and the party’s reluctance to address constitutional reform reinforced the idea that it feared electoral risk more than principled change.

In marginal “middle England” seats—like Rochester and Strood—voters feared the SNP propping up a Labour government. As our candidate Naushabah Khan notes in Labour’s Identity Crisis, “There is a reluctance among some in the party to embrace patriotism and national pride. To many Labour voters, these concepts are of the utmost importance.” The infamous “#Remarkable” tweet by Emily Thornberry only deepened this detachment from the party’s roots.

Cultural Disconnect and Immigration

With a membership skewed towards the affluent, liberal middle class, Labour struggles to understand socially conservative voters. In Harlow, candidate Suzy Stride recounts the discomfort manual workers felt among middle-class campaigners: “It was like flying Ryanair: uncomfortable, but you got where you needed to go.”

At the heart of this disconnect lies immigration and rapid social change. As journalist Gary Younge observes, “The link between Englishness and whiteness has long since broken.” Yet while activists celebrate mass immigration, many historically Labour communities view globalization and industrial decline with anxiety. No leader offers a convincing solution: David Cameron’s promise to cut immigration to “tens of thousands” is widely ridiculed, and Jeremy Corbyn’s near-open borders approach fails to address cultural concerns about the scale of change.

A Path Forward: Civic Nationalism and Progressive Politics

Across Europe, left-wing parties in Spain, France and Greece proudly drape themselves in the national flag. This fusion of civic nationalism and progressive politics was George Orwell’s ambition—uniting the radical English tradition with socialist ideals. Robert Colls argues that Orwell redefined Englishness on the left, making English socialism both a political and personal identity.

Labour must reclaim this tradition. We need to show in both language and policy that we love England. This means establishing an English Labour party and holding a referendum on an English Parliament. Only by reigniting the “good old cause” of radical English liberty can Labour present an ambitious vision for a modern, social-democratic Britain.

Conclusion: Reengaging with England

If Labour continues to be offended by Exeter’s flags, England itself will soon feel foreign to us. It is time to embrace Englishness as an integral part of our tradition, protect the working rights of English people, and renew our commitment to federalism within the United Kingdom.

Read more in Labour’s Identity Crisis: The Politics of Patriotism, edited by Tristram Hunt, publishing 23 May.