Harry Doyle

Diary of a Councillor

Category: dovecot

  • Reclaiming Our Flag: Why True Patriotism Celebrates Progress, Not Division

    As a resident and Councillor representing Dovecot, I have watched with growing concern as dozens of England flags have appeared across our community and throughout Liverpool in recent weeks. While I am proud to see our national symbols displayed, I am deeply troubled by the motivations behind this latest surge of flag-flying—motivations that have nothing to do with genuine patriotism and everything to do with exclusion, division, and thinly-veiled racism.

    I am proud of the British and English flags, but not for the reasons that drive today’s “Operation Raise the Colours” campaign. I’m proud because these flags can represent the remarkable progress our nation has made toward equality, justice, and inclusion. When I see our flag, I think of the journey we’ve traveled as a society—from the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1967 to the legalisation of same-sex marriage in 2014. I think of women gaining the right to vote in 1918 and 1928, the Equal Pay Act of 1970, and the Sex Discrimination Act of 1975. I think of the England Lionesses winning Euro 2022 and defending their title in 2025, making history as the first English team to win a major trophy on foreign soil.

    This is the patriotism I embrace—a progressive patriotism that celebrates how far we’ve come and pushes us toward an even more inclusive future. Our flag, at its best, represents not a return to some imagined golden age, but the ongoing fight for equality and human dignity that has defined Britain’s greatest moments.

    The recent proliferation of flags across England, including here in Liverpool and Dovecot, tells a very different story. This campaign, explicitly linked to far-right groups like Britain First and supported by figures like Tommy Robinson, is not about celebrating Britain’s achievements. It’s about sending a message to immigrant communities that they don’t belong.

    The timing is telling. Where were these flags when the England women’s team made history? Where was this passionate display of patriotism when the Lionesses were bringing home European championships and inspiring a generation of young girls? The silence then compared to the fervor now reveals the true nature of this campaign—it’s not about pride in our country’s accomplishments, but about exclusion and division.

    Women's Six Nations 2025: Results and fixtures as Red Roses seek to ...

    Political theorist John Denham distinguishes between progressive patriotism and regressive nationalism. Progressive patriotism “defines the national interest as the common good” and is “inclusive, seeking fairness, prosperity and security for all”. It’s “radical because it has no hesitation in calling out the powerful who work against the nation as unpatriotic (even when they wrap themselves in the union flag)”.

    Regressive nationalism, by contrast, “seeks to preserve or re-establish the sense of national pride of a previous age” and often engages in “scapegoating and blame-shifting”. This perfectly describes what we’re seeing with “Operation Raise the Colours”—an attempt to use our national symbols to exclude rather than include, to divide rather than unite.

    The tragedy is that this exclusionary use of our flag makes many people—particularly young people, ethnic minorities, and those who support multiculturalism—feel uncomfortable with displays of national symbols. A 2024 YouGov survey found that 27% of Britons had an unfavorable opinion of people flying the England flag outside their home, with the divide falling largely along political lines.

    This is precisely what the far right wants—to make progressive Britons ashamed of their own flag, leaving the field clear for their exclusionary interpretation of what Britain should be. We cannot allow this to happen.

    Our greatest national achievements have come when we’ve embraced change and progress, not when we’ve retreated into exclusion. The abolition of slavery, women’s suffrage, the creation of the NHS, the decriminalisation of homosexuality, marriage equality—these represent the Britain I’m proud of. These are the values our flag should represent.

    The recent flag displays across England reveal a fundamental choice about what kind of country we want to be. Do we want to be a nation that uses its symbols to exclude and intimidate? Or do we want to be a country where our flag represents everything we have achieved and still aim to achieve?

    I choose the latter. I’m proud of the British and English flags because they can represent our progress—LGBT rights, women’s equality, multiculturalism, and the countless quiet acts of decency and solidarity that define our communities at their best.

    Celebrating 100 Years of Women's Suffrage

    But I’m not proud of flags flown to send messages of exclusion and fear. That’s not patriotism—it’s nationalism at its most toxic. And it has no place in the inclusive, progressive, and genuinely patriotic Britain that I believe in and will continue to fight for.

    The flag belongs to all of us. It’s time we took it back.

  • Why I’m Backing Chess at Dovecot Primary – and What It Can Do for Every Child

    Cllr Harry Doyle making the ceremonial first move at the British Chess Championships 2025

    Chess is more than a board game; it is a proven springboard for learning, confidence and social mobility. That is why I have committed ward funds to launch curriculum-time lessons and an after-school club at Dovecot Primary School. This week, I had the honour of making the ceremonial first move at the 2025 British Chess Championships at Liverpool’s St George’s Hall – a reminder of the city’s growing place on the national chess map, and of the doors chess can open for our young people.

    Research consistently finds that regular chess instruction in schools leads to measurable academic gains. For example, year-long chess programmes have been shown to raise maths attainment scores, while long-term studies link weekly chess tuition to improvements in critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Both classroom trials and MRI studies highlight how chess strengthens working memory and helps children sustain their attention for longer periods, and many pupils who may struggle in other subjects discover new confidence and resilience by excelling at chess. These benefits reach across the curriculum, laying the groundwork for success in a variety of academic areas.

    International evidence echoes that verdict: cross-border projects in Hungary and Romania report higher self-confidence and social inclusion among vulnerable children who take up chess. EU researchers have now catalogued best practice in using chess to help disadvantaged groups into education and work.

    What does it mean for Dovecot Primary?
    • Inclusion first. By scheduling chess within the school day every child participates, not just those whose families can stay for clubs.
    • Tutor support. The funding I have provided will go to the award-winning Chess in Schools programme which has developed a fantastic chess curriculum, already benefiting 25,000 pupils nationwide this year.
    • Pathways to excellence. Club members will have the opportunity to compete across Liverpool and nationally, with opportunties to meet grandmasters and see the possibilities beyond the classroom.

    Liverpool has a proud chess heritage – from the country’s oldest club founded in 1837 to hosting this year’s British Championships, the strongest in its 121-year history. Giving children in Dovecot the chance to learn the game connects them to that story and, more importantly, equips them with transferable skills that last a lifetime.
    I look forward to watching the first cohort of Dovecot players make their own opening moves in the new academic year – and to seeing how far the game will take them.