The Guardian is Free column puts forward Mike Marqusee to provide that damning "But" on the flying of English flags. There are lots of insinuations (without much evidence) that flying an English flag is racist, nativist and an insult to anyone who he can list.
England is not a nation-state or significant political unit. And
Englishness is a category vague enough to accommodate radically opposed
ideas of what being English might be. Crucially, it carries both ethnic
and national connotations. (Though the usage is increasingly contested,
being "English" is frequently a synonym for being white native-born
English.)
Some people might view these positive developments as encouraging as England becomes more pluralist. Whilst Marqusee is quick to cite imperial history as a hurdle to be overcome before we could be allowed to develop political consciousness (a hurdle that the Scottish need not recognise,) he states that England is not a nation-state. He is right: England is a state-nation, from which the British union was built.
As evidence of our incipient fascism, he cites a Rooney advert, reciting the national anthem and references to the Second World War. If this is the best that can be mustered by the Left, then there is little to worry about. More ahistorical nonsense from the LeftGuardianista killjoy here.