Farron declares “our flag belongs to one people, the British people” as Liberal Democrats open conference

EMBARGO: Immediate release

At the opening night of Liberal Democrat Autumn Conference in Bournemouth, former party leader Tim Farron urged members to “be proud of our flag” and “be proud of our country.”

In his speech to activists at the party's conference rally, he highlighted British values of freedom, justice, generosity, community and equality. Farron took aim at populists, adding “let us reclaim our flags for those who would reunite and rebuild. The British flag and the flags of our four nations are ours, they belong to all of us, let's take them back, let's wave them with pride.”

Full text of Farron's speech (please check against delivery):

Listening to Danny is a reminder that winning elections is our passport to making a difference. A reminder too that the Liberal Democrats are the party of puppies….

Talking of which. Did you know that Donald Trump is the first US president in 70 years not to own a dog?

You know, the more I learn about that guy, the more I think that he might just be a wrong ‘un.

Anyway I’m hoping the razzmatazz of this rally allows us to keep up with the glamour of the Reform Party conference. I was glued to the screen. It was all great fun – and to be fair they did some commendable things. 

I mean, they did let Andrea Jenkins sing a song that she’d written, on stage, while wearing a sparkly jump suit, and you guys have never let me do any of those things.  So, you know, maybe raise your game?

They also spent a lot of their time giving a platform to people who think that Covid vaccines gave the royal family cancer, or who are self confessed convicted racists, and worst of all, to Lembit Opik. 

Now, Reform say that it doesn’t mean that they agree with those people, they’re just supporting freedom of speech. 

But if they were truly in favour of freedom of speech, why didn’t they let me on the stage to make the case for treating refugees like the human beings that they are? 

Anyhow, I’m not bitter… but I am going to get my own back.

Don’t tell anyone, but I am drawing up plans to redeploy Agent Truss!

The Turquoise Tories will be toast… you heard it here first.

Well, like Ed, Liz was not at the palace this week… not because she was making a point of principle, but because she’s busy preparing to be returned to the field…

Ed didn’t boycott the dinner lightly. It is an honour to be invited by His Majesty to a state banquet – but when the horror and tragedy for the people of Israel and Palestine could be ended by one phone call from Donald Trump, yet he refuses to do the right thing, then it is the right thing for Ed on our behalf to be the voice that says that the slaughter in Gaza must end, the hostages must be freed, this evil must stop.

But this week, the palace was festooned in red white and blue. The Union flag and the Stars and Stripes. The flags that speak of our identities forged through thick and thin over the centuries.

For us, it is a flag representing four nations who through shared affection, history and good sense, know that we are always better together. 

Yet in recent times we have seen our flags become a feature of division.

For us in England, the union flag and the St George’s flag should never be symbols of division, they should be symbols of unity, of pride, of all that we share in common. They are the equivalent of the first team shirt complete with club badge that we all have the right and the honour to wear.  One team, one flag… Actually one team and five flags… because we’re British, we’re a bit eccentric, and we’re proud of it!

But all this took me back to eight years ago, when the Scottish Nationalists were at their height, when as a family we were on holiday on the beautiful island of Islay  - home of the world’s best single malt whisky and home, originally at least, to a certain Alistair Carmichael!  And when we were there we went for lunch with Alistair at his mum and dad’s farm.

At one point over lunch Alistair’s Mum seemed lost in thought – she looked out across the moor where the Scottish saltire was flying on a neighbour’s land.  She sighed and she shook her head, and said “That’s what I hate the most.  They’ve stolen our flag.”

She’s sadly passed away since.  But Alistair’s lovely Mum struck such a chord with me. That’s exactly how I feel too, as an Englishman.  How dare the nationalists steal our flags?  How dare they steal what it is to be British, English, Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish…Cornish… How dare they?

So I am here to tell you that I am a patriot, I am not ashamed to be a patriot, I am not squeamish about my patriotism, I will not qualify my patriotism.  I am a proud patriot. 

But I am no nationalist. And you can tell the difference easily.

You see patriots love their country.  Nationalists hate their neighbours.  I love my country.

I love the fact in 927AD, England was formed … and it was formed in Westmorland, at Eamont where Aethelstan was acknowledged as the first King of a united Kingdom of England.  It was a one horse race, Eldred of Bamburgh couldn’t win here…

So yes, in Westmorland we are proud that we gave birth to England. An England that has changed generation by generation, but has nevertheless remained England. 

An England evolving over centuries, the birthplace of the industrial revolution, of modern democracy, standing against tyrants, a sanctuary to those fleeing from tyrants.

Rooted in values of hard work, generosity, freedom, kindness, community – seeking, imperfectly, to embody the Christian values of justice, of all people being equal, of no one being above or beneath the law. Of mercy and of goodness. 

Our history is strewn with moments of triumph and brilliance when we have lived up to those values.. and littered with moments of shame too when we have not… but it is a history that we share together, we share it with all comers, new comers and we will not have our history, our heritage, our home stolen by the poison of nationalism.

Our flag does not belong to Liberals, or to Conservatives, or to Socialists, it does not belong to one creed, or to one race, yet it belongs to one people. 

The British people. 

We will not let our flag be used to intimidate, we will not let our flag become the property of a minority. 

So my message to the nationalists is this:

I’m afraid that you do not really love your country. 

You cannot love your country if – as it seems – you hate everything about it and claim allegiance only to a Britain of some fantasy golden age that never existed. 

You do not love your country if you seek to intimidate and terrify people who are British through and through.

You do not love your country if you lie about it at home and abroad, actively plan to do it harm, and suck up to our enemies.

And you do not love your country if you have no policies… except, it would seem to become the household pet that Donald Trump has been so sadly lacking…

We love our country and its people. But real love is about action not words.  It involves sacrifice and service.  And we demonstrate that love by getting our hands dirty and our hearts broken as we immerse our selves in our communities, serving them, person by person, street by street as Liberal Democrats do best. You see Community Politics is not just the antidote to nationalism, it is the opposite of it.  Less talk, more action.

We love our country and our people, but more than that maybe… in stark contrast to the nationalists… we also rather like our country and its people.  No country is perfect but we are comfortable with who we are, at peace with how we have evolved, though impatient for a better deal for our people.. 

So if you, like me, love this country and its people, then reach under your seats now and join me in reclaiming our flag.

Let us reclaim our flags for those who would reunite and rebuild, not divide and destroy,

Because we will not yield our identity, our flag or our country to the nationalists.

A Britain that may be broken by the wickedness of hatred, fake news and isolation… but a Britain that I passionately believe is not beyond healing. 

You see we love our country enough to strive to fix it.

So let’s stand in defiance – like Alistair’s Mum – be proud of your flag, be proud of your country. The British flag and the flags of our four nations are ours, they belong to all of us, let’s take them back, let’s wave them with pride.  

ENDS