What’s with the flag in the background of MPs being interviewed on TV?

[Kroptopbelly]

I’ve noticed it now loads.
Grant Shapp, Pritty Patel, other MPs with a bloody massive flag in the background. (Along with bookshelves)
It’s very American.
Is this a new directive for them do you think?
Is it meant to instil a feeling of patriotism in us all?

If I were an MP I'd use a nice convenient flag to hide my background so people couldn't judge my book and decor choice!

I dunno, might be something to do with being in government ??

If I was an MP i'd have an interesting houseplant (support from gardeners), photo of family (nice respectable family), photo of DGPs (respect for family), a dog photo but also a cat (obvious who you're aiming at), photo of wellknown tourist site in the UK (doesn't galavant off abroad on hols), some classic CDs, some recent CDs, one of those weird antique medical/artisan instruments to keep everyone watching and discussing what it is, a best seller from each of the last 10 decades, Hmmm that's probably enough.

@Kroptopbelly

Trying to appeal to brexit voters

@Camomila

If I were an MP I'd use a nice convenient flag to hide my background so people couldn't judge my book and decor choice!

This. Covers all sins and is professionally relevant.

Yes, it’s a new policy aimed at driving up patriotism and nationalism. They can shove off until the leaders of this country actually show me something to be proud of. A country where work pays for the cost of living, perhaps.

@MayYouLiveInInterestingTimes

Yes, it’s a new policy aimed at driving up patriotism and nationalism. They can shove off until the leaders of this country actually show me something to be proud of. A country where work pays for the cost of living, perhaps.

Come on. There's nothing to be proud of about this country at all? Nothing? Compared to most of the world, we're actually doing fairly well. I suppose you'd rather have been born in North Korea or something. I know it's fashionable to be all 'Urgh, my country is absolutely rubbish,' but we're a relatively safe country in which to be female, or gay, or gender-nonconforming. We do have healthcare and education for everyone, even though it's not perfect (what is?) We're a teeny tiny island, but we've achieved a fair bit in terms of technology, science etc. We contribute a fair bit to the film and TV industries too. We've got a beautiful country, one of the safest from a natural disaster point of view, and I feel very lucky to be able to call it home. We're a wonderful little blending pot of lots of different communities and cultures, brought to us by various seafaring nations and waves of immigration over the centuries, and we've got a marvellous, varied culture as a consequence. Plenty to be patriotic about, if you've a mind to.

People complaining about the UK just show their lack of knowledge of other countries. I've travelled a lot (not just hols lived places) - the UK is fine.

I noticed a few days ago, after I’d read in the Guardian that Starmer’s new policy was to focus on patriotism and the Union flag, (cos they think that’s why they lost voters) that two Labour MPs had one in their background on the Daily Politics. One of them, whilst being challenged that voters were more concerned about COVID right now than the flag and patriotism, agreed ‘yes yes we know that’ all whilst sitting in front of a bloody great Union Jack. And once a couple do it, they all start cos they don’t want to be accused of not being patriotic blah blah blah.

If a grown adult feels they need a flag behind them before that can be seen, they can consider themselves a failure in life.

Mind you, I manage to know what country I'm living in. I doubt these dozy fuckers do.

Come on. There's nothing to be proud of about this country at all? Nothing? Compared to most of the world, we're actually doing fairly well. I suppose you'd rather have been born in North Korea or something.

Ooh. How to get my goat and seriously irritate me in one oh-so-easy comment.

I know that it is currently fashionable, usually for the middle classes, to claim that there is nothing wrong with this country at all, nothing to see here, no problems, move along. And to suggest that the only possible comparison is to North Korea.

My experience is that of a working class girl with no family support from a shitty northern drug ridden estate, and I would much rather have been born in Germany, any of the Scandi countries, the Netherlands, Iceland, Canada, to name a few.

The poverty in this country is rife and increasing, the snobbery and complacency of the middle classes is increasing, the cost of living is rising, the chances of getting a job is falling, the wages paid for the few jobs left are falling. And please, don't get me started on this country being relatively safe. Not for someone of my background it isn't. The first time I was followed by a man I was 11 years old. Try reporting burglaries when you live on the other side of town.

Germany, any of the Scandi countries, the Netherlands, Iceland, Canada, to name a few.
Not sure these don't have poverty or drug problems.

It's because of Brexit.

Allegedly taking back control and being patriotic. Never mind that Mr Johnson's responses (or non-responses) to Covid 19 have killed more people than Nazi bombing in WW2.

@mayyouliveininterestingtimes
Have you ever lived in these countries though? Do you think places like you described don't exist elsewhere, time to take rose tinted glasses off as all places have people in poverty and deprived areas

@MayYouLiveInInterestingTimes

Come on. There's nothing to be proud of about this country at all? Nothing? Compared to most of the world, we're actually doing fairly well. I suppose you'd rather have been born in North Korea or something.

Ooh. How to get my goat and seriously irritate me in one oh-so-easy comment.

I know that it is currently fashionable, usually for the middle classes, to claim that there is nothing wrong with this country at all, nothing to see here, no problems, move along. And to suggest that the only possible comparison is to North Korea.

My experience is that of a working class girl with no family support from a shitty northern drug ridden estate, and I would much rather have been born in Germany, any of the Scandi countries, the Netherlands, Iceland, Canada, to name a few.

The poverty in this country is rife and increasing, the snobbery and complacency of the middle classes is increasing, the cost of living is rising, the chances of getting a job is falling, the wages paid for the few jobs left are falling. And please, don't get me started on this country being relatively safe. Not for someone of my background it isn't. The first time I was followed by a man I was 11 years old. Try reporting burglaries when you live on the other side of town.

Grass is always greener on the other side. The fact remains, you're more fortunate in terms of your country of birth than the vast majority of the world's population.

We'll ignore the fact you've decided I'm middle class based on absolutely no evidence at all, because you seem to have a pretty massive chip on your shoulder. FWIW, my DF was a miner made redundant when the pits closed. He left school with nothing and I grew up well-acquainted with 'the other side of town' as you put it. I tend to find more anti-British settlement among the middle classes. I think that's quite common, given that voting for Brexit was more common among the working classes.

I have lived in Europe, and visited most of those places, yes. Other places are different, have their own systems and their own problems. One thing they lack in the main is the absolute levels of poverty in the U.K. - the U.K. contains many of the most deprived areas of Europe. They lack the levels of violence and aggression, and various other social problems the U.K. has are greatly reduced. Those in Europe, on the whole, are also less bloody damp.

The grass is greener too.

ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/pdfscache/29306.pdf
The graph on page 5 shows relative poverty in Europe

Why do MPs have flags of the UK?

It's to show how much they care and how patriotic they are about the UK.

They may not give a shit about the people of the UK, but the Union flag shows that they do care - and they are signalling to people that they care.

Ironically, they probably hate people who do virtue signal, whilst at the same time they engage in virtue signalling without actually doing anything meaningful to show they care. Except to have a flag.

Why do MPs have flags of the UK?

To impress the sort of people that are more impressed with flags than facts, obviously. Embarrassing the question really needs to be asked.