Sky News Daily 2025 Moments: Flags - pride or prejudice?
Dec 23, 2025
Join Sunder Katwala, director of the British Future think tank and author, alongside Tom Cheshire, Sky News data correspondent, as they delve into the rising prominence of flags in public spaces. They explore how flags mean vastly different things to different communities, from symbols of pride to potential aggression. The duo discusses the interplay between flag-waving and deeper issues like immigration politics, while encouraging political leaders to embrace inclusive patriotism. Insightful and thought-provoking, this conversation uncovers the complexities of national identity in a divisive climate.
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Flags Moved From Protests To Suburbs
- Tom Cheshire described driving around Lincoln and seeing suburbs festooned with flags, which felt new and unsettling to many residents.
- He linked the street flags to internet culture feeding back into physical spaces, making something once seen at rallies suddenly visible in everyday life.
Intent Changes A Flag's Meaning
- Sunder Katwala argued intent and reception determine whether a flag feels inclusive or threatening.
- The same symbol can unite at a football match and intimidate when placed halfway up a lamppost to claim territory.
Family Face Paint Versus Street Graffiti
- Sunder Katwala recalled painting faces with his daughters at Lionesses matches and seeing welcoming bunting in Dartford High Street.
- He contrasted that warm scene with graffiti and lamppost flags that conveyed exclusion on his own street.