Sir Keir Starmer was mocked for claiming Labour is now “the patriotic party” as Reform MP Richard Tice insisted: “True patriotism requires leadership”. The Prime Minister called himself “a proud Englishman” at a reception in Downing Street to mark St George’s Day, where guests enjoyed Pimms, Melton Mowbray pork pies, Lancashire Eccles cakes and Bakewell tart.

He insisted: “That flag doesn’t belong to me as Prime Minister or any group or political party and that is the point. It belongs to all of us to England, in all its wonder and diversity. And we should be proud of that flag, we must never concede it, because it is an expression of our values and our patriotism. And patriotism – for me is about serving the country we love.”

But Mr Tice said: “If patriotism meant economic failure, open borders, and national decline, then yes — Labour would be the party of patriotism.

“Under Labour’s stewardship, pride in being British has plummeted by 22 points.

“True patriotism requires leadership that believes in its own people and gives them reason to feel proud. Labour has failed to inspire confidence or instil pride.

“Reform UK will always put the British people first — so they choose to stay, invest, and help rebuild our nation, rather than flee under the misrule of both Labour and the Tories.”

England faces a “never-ending fight for our flag and what it represents”, Sir Keir said.

The Prime Minister shared his worries about the far-right claiming ownership of St George’s Cross at a Downing Street reception held to mark the day of England’s patron saint.

At the Tuesday night gathering, Sir Keir praised England for its diversity, pointing to the difference between his “working class” background and his predecessor Rishi Sunak, “an English Hindu”, who had both been able to become prime minister.

“That for me is something I think we should always be proud of and never take for granted,” Sir Keir said.

But the Prime Minister added: “Because, while this is a day for celebration, we cannot be under any illusions that there is a never-ending fight for our flag and what it represents.

“I’ll put it this way, when I was standing in the old Wembley in 1996 – not many people sat down that day, it felt like that whole tournament embodied the best of our country. Yet now – there are people trying to sow division in our communities, people taking the red and white of our flag, like the bunting downstairs, with them, as they throw bricks at businesses.”

The Prime Minister pointed to the riots sparked by the Southport stabbings, which were fuelled by online misinformation and which Sir Keir has previously blamed the far-right for.

Sir Keir said he had seen “people throwing bricks at the very same police officers I was shaking hands with” when he visited the scene of the stabbings, adding: “And that’s why the battle for our flag is really important because that is what happened and that was only last year.

“So, we have to fight for our flag and for our values.”

The aftermath of the riots “showed what it means to be English”, he added.

Sir Keir continued: “It marked the coming together of a country. People who got together the morning after, all across Britain with shovels, brooms and brushes, to clean up their communities.

“Rebuilding walls, repairing damage, and it’s in that spirit that we reclaim our flag and that was incredibly uplifting to go from rioting to people coming out to do what they could for our country. So that’s what we must do for our country, for English decency, honour and fairness. Wrench it out of the hands of those who want to divide this nation and reclaim it for good.”

Among the celebrities who joined Sir Keir at the No 10 reception were outgoing Match Of The Day host Gary Lineker, and comedian Rob Beckett.