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Our dishonest, incompetent Government continues to plunge Britain into crisis. Amid broken promises and botched policies, our democracy is being compromised, our security weakened, our economy impoverished, and our integrity corroded. But that catalogue of failure is precisely why we should celebrate St George's Day with extra enthusiasm today.

Against the backdrop of international turmoil, wallowing in despair will achieve nothing. On the other hand, a concentrated burst of national pride could not only revive our morale but may also galvanise our ruling politicians to change course.

Flying the red cross of St George is the adrenalin shot we need. After all, we still have so much to celebrate. We remain one of the most visually striking nations on earth, filled with glorious architecture and beautiful countryside. Our history is unrivalled in its richness. British geniuses have been at the forefront of innovation and scientific advancement. We were pioneers of human rights, Parliamentary rule and constitutional monarchy. Today, we remain a world-beater in fields like the arts, music, computing, and aviation.

In the past, the English have tended to be ambivalent about public displays of national allegiance. As George Orwell put it in 1941, "The patriotism of the common people is not vocal or even conscious." But, partly in reaction to the rise in Celtic nationalism and the malign influence of anti-British political correctness, attitudes have changed, with far more St George's crosses now appearing on our streets, especially when England performs well in international football tournaments.

But the appearance of St George's flag should not be dependent on sporting glory. Instead, it should be woven into the fabric of public life. This is vital for two reasons. First, if Britain's political mainstream shuns the flag, believing it to be outdated or reactionary, then it will inevitably become the property of the extremist fringe. Second, the widespread adoption of St George's red cross is itself a powerful weapon against the state's progressive ideology, which holds that English patriotism is divisive and dangerous.

In this twisted narrative, it is fine for Britain's minorities - including the Scots, the Welsh and a host of migrant groups - to demonstrate pride in their homelands, but if the English majority do so, then they are guilty of oppression. Last year a number of NHS managers complained that the presence of the traditional English flag on our streets amounted to "deliberate intimidation" to black and Asian staff, while the Royal College of Nursing moaned that the emblem was helping to fuel a "growing cesspool of racism".

Such emotive language suits the woke brigade which despises England's national identity and heritage. We cannot give in to this kind of treacherous self-loathing. Just as patriotism is a noble force that encourages self-sacrifice for the greater good, so our national flag can be a unifying symbol of solidarity. That is certainly the lesson of Nottingham, where the unveiling this week of England's largest St George's flag - measuring 60 feet by 26 feet - at the front of the city's Council House generated a wave of civic pride. That is the exactly the uplifting spirit required in these troubled times.