GB News viewers were left up in arms after things turned heated over the removal of the St George flags erected in Tower Hamlets as part of patriotism campaign
GB News commentator Benjamin Butterworth sparked fury on the late-night show after branding patriots plastering flags in the Tower Hamlets as “jobless yobos”. During Monday night’s evening show (August 18), Patrick Christys welcomed guests Cristo Foufas and the journalist from the i Paper onto the show to discuss the latest stories hitting the headlines. It didn’t take long before conversation turned to the actions of the ‘Operation Raise the Colours’ patriotism campaign.
Tower Hamlets council has come under fire for removing flags of St George, which they claimed was part of a “responsibility to monitor and maintain council infrastructor”. The broadcaster soon triggered a blistering row on the show after claiming those hoisting flags are “losers”.
A GB News guest sparked backlash over patriotism campaign (Image: GB News)
Hitting out at the patriotic Londoners for putting up the flags, Mr Butterworth fumed: “Honestly, you all need to get a grip, these flag-waving losers. I’m afraid these jobless yobos are just acting like people in a school playground.”
Interjecting, broadcaster Carole Malone snapped back with: “How do you know they’re jobless?” to which the journalist argued: “Because they’ve clearly got nothing better to do. I’m talking about these people who have got nothing better to do with their lives.
“They go to random lamp posts and hoise flags, which is simply illegal regardless of what flag it is. You’re not doing anything patriotic by sticking up the England flag.”
Outraged by his remarks, Reform UK party member Sir Jake Berry pressed Mr Butterworth on “what law it breaks” by displaying the British flag in public places.
Journalist Benjamin Butterworth clashed with Tory MP Jake Berry (Image: GB News)
He asked: “What law does it break? You told us its illegal, what law does it break?” He hit back with: “Well, it would be just like fly posting, that’s illegal. You can’t stick your Chinese shop advert on the lamp post.”
Mr Berry then fumed: “This is our national flag! What law does it break? You don’t know it’s illegal. You said it was illegal, but you don’t know ’cause you’re making it up.”
Mr Butterworth reiterated his argument once more, demanding those erecting flags across the country to “get a grip”. He added: “These people need to get a grip.
“They’re not doing anything for Britain by flying an English flag on a roundabout. They’re doing it because they want a flight and they want tretweets and they’ve got nothing better to do.”
Supporting the patriotic spirit of passionate Brits, Mr Berry concluded: “If we pass one law in this country, it should be that every single classroom has the British flag in and a portrait of the King, just like the United States.
“They’ve got it in the United States of America. Let’s reinstall in our young people the feeling of patriotic pride.” It didn’t take long before viewers flooded to social media to share their frustrations online.
One user fumed: “The people who are putting up these flags are fighting for our country to stay British. What is illegal about that Mr Mouth Almighty. Just shut your filthy mouth.”
Another agreed: “People putting up these flags are jobless yobos with nothing better to do and looking for a fight? Is this clown for real?” A third chimed in with: “Butterworth is clearly very upset about this national outpouring of patriotism.”
