It is the public’s “patriotic duty” to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, Sir Keir Starmer said as he embraced the flag and broke with the Jeremy Corbyn years.
Writing for The Telegraph, the Labour leader said the consistency of the monarch’s 70-year reign may help explain why political extremism never fully took hold in Britain.
He also called on councils to ensure that “as many people can celebrate as possible” at street parties amid fears that “killjoy” local authorities are rejecting last-minute requests for permission to hold them.
The intervention reflects Sir Keir’s determination to make clear that the Labour Party under his leadership does not see patriotism as a dirty word.
Under Mr Corbyn, the party was accused of lukewarm support for the monarchy – a perception some pollsters linked to declining Labour backing in traditional heartlands in the Midlands and the North.
Sir Keir wrote: “The Jubilee weekend isn’t just an opportunity for us to reflect on the 70 years since Her Majesty’s accession to the throne – although it will, of course, be that.
“And it isn’t simply a chance for a country wearied by the extraordinary circumstances of the last few years to let its hair down – although it is, of course, your patriotic duty to do just that.
“No, the first Platinum Jubilee in our nation’s history is a chance to celebrate a truly extraordinary Queen, to reflect on the difference she has made to her country and to consider what our Elizabethan age has meant – and what it will mean for our future.”
The Labour leader, who will be attending a jubilee celebration over the weekend, was a Republican as a youth but has described his knighthood as the happiest day of his parents’ lives.
Sir Keir Starmer has urged councils to ensure that ‘as many people can celebrate as possible’ with their street parties.
In a message to councils, he said: “I endorse The Telegraph’s call for local authorities to try to ensure that as many events can take place and as many people can celebrate as possible.”
Discussing the impact of the Queen’s reign, he wrote: “The Western world has changed beyond recognition since the 1950s. This has led to fundamental questions of what it means to be a citizen and what it means to be patriotic.
“We have been no outlier in this. Her Majesty’s constant presence – a bridge between different eras – has been an important part in helping us to wrestle with those questions.
“That Britain has at every juncture rejected extremism is in no small part due to our idea of who we are as a people: an idea borne of a sense of stability that cannot exist without strong institutions.”
Sir Keir took over the Labour leadership in April 2020 after Mr Corbyn stepped down following the party’s 2019 election defeat.
I don’t see anything controversial about this. I’ve gone from hating the royal family when I was a Corbynista in 2017-2019 (yuck) to being indifferent about them now.
There’s no denying that the Queen has done a ton of service to this country, serving on the throne since the horrors of World War 2, she lived to see the absolute evil scum of Hitler and his fascist regime nearly take over the world, she’s been on the throne for nearly 70 years now, she more than deserves her place.
For my part we have our buntings up already.
You gonna make me, Keith?
Keir is spot on, what a fantastic article.
We should all be out there at street parties and various events, not being funny but Her Majesty more than likely won’t make her 75th year on the throne and whatever precious gem that is.
What a bizarre statement.
Shut up, Keith.
Another fine example of Labour completely missing the zeitgeist.
Oh yes I love to be ruled by a monarchy. I love being a peasant in backwards moving country.
Fuck off kier, i still live in a free society and ill decide what patriotic means for me
Still not sure why I should celebrate someone who is apparently just better than me by birth reaching an arbitrary figure.
The headline is a bit off this is what he actually said:
> And it isn’t simply a chance for a country wearied by the extraordinary circumstances of the past few years to let its hair down – although it is, of course, your patriotic duty to do just that.
The responses in this article have led me to confirm this sub is the biggest echo chamber of all time. No wonder Labour in 2019 lost if it had a bunch of unpatriotic hateful Queen lots in it.
‘unitedkingdom’ and yet 99% of the time it’s so gloomy about said country, always negative. Just be fucking positive for once man, jesus.
The title of this post is slightly twisted. In context, it seems like he was just making a fairly light-hearted joke that, given the last few years, its your patriotic duty to relax and have fun rather than insisting we big up the queen.
I have a CT scan tomorrow to see how my cancer treatment is going. Should I cancel, Keir, as it’s my patriotic duty to wave a flag outside the palace instead? I’m sure the hospital will be fine with me not showing up, not like there’s a massive waiting list.
14 comments
It is the public’s “patriotic duty” to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, Sir Keir Starmer said as he embraced the flag and broke with the Jeremy Corbyn years.
Writing for The Telegraph, the Labour leader said the consistency of the monarch’s 70-year reign may help explain why political extremism never fully took hold in Britain.
He also called on councils to ensure that “as many people can celebrate as possible” at street parties amid fears that “killjoy” local authorities are rejecting last-minute requests for permission to hold them.
The intervention reflects Sir Keir’s determination to make clear that the Labour Party under his leadership does not see patriotism as a dirty word.
Under Mr Corbyn, the party was accused of lukewarm support for the monarchy – a perception some pollsters linked to declining Labour backing in traditional heartlands in the Midlands and the North.
Sir Keir wrote: “The Jubilee weekend isn’t just an opportunity for us to reflect on the 70 years since Her Majesty’s accession to the throne – although it will, of course, be that.
“And it isn’t simply a chance for a country wearied by the extraordinary circumstances of the last few years to let its hair down – although it is, of course, your patriotic duty to do just that.
“No, the first Platinum Jubilee in our nation’s history is a chance to celebrate a truly extraordinary Queen, to reflect on the difference she has made to her country and to consider what our Elizabethan age has meant – and what it will mean for our future.”
The Labour leader, who will be attending a jubilee celebration over the weekend, was a Republican as a youth but has described his knighthood as the happiest day of his parents’ lives.
Sir Keir Starmer has urged councils to ensure that ‘as many people can celebrate as possible’ with their street parties.
In a message to councils, he said: “I endorse The Telegraph’s call for local authorities to try to ensure that as many events can take place and as many people can celebrate as possible.”
Discussing the impact of the Queen’s reign, he wrote: “The Western world has changed beyond recognition since the 1950s. This has led to fundamental questions of what it means to be a citizen and what it means to be patriotic.
“We have been no outlier in this. Her Majesty’s constant presence – a bridge between different eras – has been an important part in helping us to wrestle with those questions.
“That Britain has at every juncture rejected extremism is in no small part due to our idea of who we are as a people: an idea borne of a sense of stability that cannot exist without strong institutions.”
Sir Keir took over the Labour leadership in April 2020 after Mr Corbyn stepped down following the party’s 2019 election defeat.
I don’t see anything controversial about this. I’ve gone from hating the royal family when I was a Corbynista in 2017-2019 (yuck) to being indifferent about them now.
There’s no denying that the Queen has done a ton of service to this country, serving on the throne since the horrors of World War 2, she lived to see the absolute evil scum of Hitler and his fascist regime nearly take over the world, she’s been on the throne for nearly 70 years now, she more than deserves her place.
For my part we have our buntings up already.
You gonna make me, Keith?
Keir is spot on, what a fantastic article.
We should all be out there at street parties and various events, not being funny but Her Majesty more than likely won’t make her 75th year on the throne and whatever precious gem that is.
What a bizarre statement.
Shut up, Keith.
Another fine example of Labour completely missing the zeitgeist.
Oh yes I love to be ruled by a monarchy. I love being a peasant in backwards moving country.
Fuck off kier, i still live in a free society and ill decide what patriotic means for me
Still not sure why I should celebrate someone who is apparently just better than me by birth reaching an arbitrary figure.
The headline is a bit off this is what he actually said:
> And it isn’t simply a chance for a country wearied by the extraordinary circumstances of the past few years to let its hair down – although it is, of course, your patriotic duty to do just that.
The responses in this article have led me to confirm this sub is the biggest echo chamber of all time. No wonder Labour in 2019 lost if it had a bunch of unpatriotic hateful Queen lots in it.
‘unitedkingdom’ and yet 99% of the time it’s so gloomy about said country, always negative. Just be fucking positive for once man, jesus.
The title of this post is slightly twisted. In context, it seems like he was just making a fairly light-hearted joke that, given the last few years, its your patriotic duty to relax and have fun rather than insisting we big up the queen.
I have a CT scan tomorrow to see how my cancer treatment is going. Should I cancel, Keir, as it’s my patriotic duty to wave a flag outside the palace instead? I’m sure the hospital will be fine with me not showing up, not like there’s a massive waiting list.
And people wonder why no one votes labour…