What Are 'Nonces'? Labour Leader Calls St George Supporters Amidst Flag Row

In a heated Hertfordshire council chamber on 23 September 2025, Labour leader Jeremy Newmark branded St George flag campaigners from Operation Raise the Colours 'a bunch of criminals, extremists, nonces', igniting fury over the term's offensive undertones in the escalating UK flag row.

The slur, aimed at supporters reclaiming England's patron saint emblem amid far-right associations, prompted swift calls for Newmark's resignation as Conservatives decried his divisive rhetoric fuelling 2025 patriotism debates.

As thousands of Union Jacks and St George's crosses adorn streets nationwide, the controversy spotlights tensions between inclusive pride and extremist hijacking, with Newmark's apology failing to quell the backlash.

Newmark's Fiery Tirade Ignites St George Flag Row

Jeremy Newmark erupted during a Hertsmere Borough Council meeting, responding to Tory Brett Rosehill's query on preserving Operation Raise the Colours displays: 'I won't be taking lectures on our national flag and extremism from a councillor that has the audacity to speak in almost glowing terms... about Operation Raise the Colours.'

He lambasted the initiative as 'an organised, orchestrated attempt by a bunch of criminals, extremists [and] nonces to hijack our national flag', linking it to Tommy Robinson's recent London rally drawing 150,000 anti-immigration protesters. The outburst, captured on video, amplified cries of hypocrisy from opponents viewing the flags as symbols of mainstream English identity.

Operation Raise the Colours, launched in summer 2025, has seen volunteers hoist thousands of flags using ladders and cherry pickers across UK towns, countering perceptions of the St George cross as far-right territory. Critics like anti-extremism group Hope Not Hate decry it as orchestrated by known far-right figures, yet participants insist it fosters community pride.

'Nonces': UK Slang's Dark Roots Fuel Backlash

In British slang, 'nonces' derives from prison jargon, short for 'nonces' as in sex offenders or paedophiles, a term laced with venom since the 1970s to denote the lowest societal outcasts.

Newmark clarified his intent targeted individuals with 'string of criminal convictions, sex offences and suchlike' behind the campaign, but detractors argue the broad brush smeared ordinary patriots raising flags in good faith.

The remark's gravity escalated when Conservatives highlighted its potential to alienate flag-waving families, echoing wider 2025 rows over symbols like rainbow flags countering St George's displays.

Daily Mail reported the furore on X, posting: 'Moment Labour council leader calls St George flag campaigners 'a bunch of criminals and nonces' – amid calls for him to resign' on 23 September 2025.

Public outrage surged online, with users branding Newmark the true 'nonce' for belittling national symbols amid rising community tensions.

Apology and Resignation Demands Rock Hertsmere

Newmark issued a statement via Hertfordshire Labour: 'I accept that some of the language I used was wrong and am sorry for that... That was not my intention. It does not reflect my views.'

He pivoted to Labour's patriotism through housing and jobs, but Conservatives dismissed it as insufficient, demanding suspension and a full probe: 'Any leader who insults residents... has forfeited integrity. Hertsmere deserves better – he must resign.' Lynette Sullivan, Tory group leader, urged unity: 'It is up to us... to step forward with calm, clarity, and compassion to bring people together.'

The saga underscores 2025's polarised flag debates, with councils like Derby vowing not to remove displays despite Hertfordshire's Liberal Democrat-led removals sparking the initial uproar. As Newmark clings to his post, the row exposes Labour's tightrope on nationalism versus extremism accusations.

Newmark's 'nonces' gaffe has supercharged the St George flag row, blending slang's sting with political peril. While Operation Raise the Colours rallies on, questions linger: can flags unite or only divide Britain's 2025 identity? Hertsmere's chamber echoes a nation's fraught quest for pride without prejudice.