Reform UK boss Nigel Farage has been branded a ‘fake patriot’ after unveiling Reform UK football shirts with a modified British flag – despite slating England and Team GB for doing the same thing
“Fake patriot” Nigel Farage has been accused of hypocrisy after flogging football shirts with a modified British flag – despite slating England and Team GB for doing the same thing.
The Reform leader branded it an “absolute joke” last year when the England team’s jerseys included a multicoloured version of the St George’s flag. And he also lashed out at Team GB merchandise – saying he was “dead against” changes to the Union Jack.
But at the weekend he unveiled a range of Reform-branded footie kits that featured a pale blue and white version of the British flag., without a dash of red to be seen. Labour MP Mike Tapp told The Mirror: “Nigel Farage is a fake patriot, so it is quite fitting that he is wrapping himself in a fake British flag. He was kicking off about changes to the England flag – clearly another example of shallow opportunism. What an embarrassing state of affairs – I’d suggest they spend more time coming up with policy, less time creating weird football shirts.” It comes as Nigel Farage is under pressure to distance himself from ‘racist’ Ant Middleton rant.
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Mr Farage waded into a major row last year when the Three Lions shirts were released ahead of last year’s European Championships, featuring a blue and purple horizontal stripe. He fumed at the time: “That’s it, it’s a multicoloured cross, it bears no relationship to the St George’s Cross whatsoever. If the England football team think that’s acceptable well why on earth would you be apologetic about Englishness if you’re going to play for England in the European football finals. I think it’s an absolute joke.”
He also voiced his displeasure at rebranded Team GB merchandise, which saw patterns and different colours added to the British flag. Mr Farage moaned on GB News: “I have to say I think this is really all quite deliberate, an attempt that goes right through much of civil society, right through much of our education system.
“They want us to basically be ashamed of who we are as people, not proud. I am dead against it.”
Reform launched the sky blue football shirts on Sunday morning, offering them for £39.99. Alternatively the real enthusiasts can pay £99.99 for a jersey signed by Mr Farage. Images shared on social media show the Reform boss posing with a number of shirts with ‘Farage 10’ on the back.
He wrote on Sunday morning: “Reform HQ tells me nearly 1,000 shirts were sold in the first hour.” When the football shirt controversy broke out, former Tory PM Rishi Sunak said sporting firms “shouldn’t mess” with national flags.
A No10 spokesman said at the time: ‘They are a source of pride, identity, who we are and he thinks they are perfect as they are.” And Keir Starmer urged Nike – who made the Three Lions shirt – to “reconsider” the design.
In a statement Nike said: “We have been a proud partner of the FA since 2012 and understand the significance and importance of the St George’s Cross and it was never our intention to offend, given what it means to England fans.”
In 2021, when England players took the knee to protest against racism, Mr Farage posted: “Let’s keep politics out of football this summer.”
The Mirror has contacted Reform UK asking what has changed.
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