Our interviews in 2002 coincided with England playing in the World Cup. Although the city had been divided during the riots, in the face of football, it was interesting to see how sport erased those divisions. In the roads of Bradford St George's flags were flying from windows of bedrooms, corner shops and from taxis. The feeling of patriotism was almost palpable, in particular among both the female and male young respondents. In these circumstances, then, as others have noted in relation to the 1998 World Cup (Kumar, 2003: 262-3) the St George’s flag represented a multi-ethnic Britain, whereas the Union Jack is associated with colonialism and White racism.
Many writers on the subject of citizenship take it to mean participation in the nation state (Kymlicka, 1995), in this context we can see cultural participation in a wider yet ethnically diverse ‘cultural nation’. These Pakistani respondents just like other British citizens displayed pride in their nation by flying the ‘English’ St George’s flag. The flag became a prominent symbol of unity which was expressive of their desire for England to win the world cup:
We live in this country why shouldn’t we support England? At the end of the day whether you support England in a sport or not is no big deal but this is our Country and we are going to care about it and we are going to care how it is doing in world economy and everything…,this our home at the end of the day, yeah we are living here but you tend to support your home Country. I don’t see that there is anything wrong with that. (Shabnam Ishaq, age 21)
I was talking to some colleagues at work the other day about when Lord Tebbitt said failing the cricket test. I was saying I hope people know that they have passed the football test because there are so many taxi drivers, businesses even young people flying St. George’s flag. I think there is a difference between St. George’s flag and the Union Jack because with the Union Jack you think of the BNP and racists. (Khalid Hussain, age 30)
Discussions around national symbols such as flags in this way generated discussions on allegiance and identification. The Union Jack was not seen as a patriotic symbol of the British nation instead it has meaning for a far right party. The views of our younger respondents were that the Union Jack has become the property of the far right and a symbol of the political beliefs of the BNP. The Union Jack was not displayed in Bradford more so because of the political meaning behind the Union Jack. Ordinary people can no longer display the flag without being labelled right wing racists. Displaying the St George's Flag was more expressive of an ‘authentic’ national identity that has not been politically soiled by racism, the Union Jack is no longer representative of the whole nation, only a minority of extremists.
Those who were born in Britain celebrate a positive image of their Britishness. It is almost as if the younger generation have reclaimed their citizenship as a positive identity of citizenship in the wake of racism. These individuals create a concept of England, which is not in a vacuum but a developed and inclusive identity that encapsulates diversity:
… there were young Pakistani lads with St. George’s Flag and middle aged Pakistani taxi drivers, and that really made me laugh and it showed that the Pakistani community are saying that they are not just Pakistani. They are trying to show that England means something to them and that England is our team. We are from England. But if you say they are only English if they sit down and have roast beef and roast potatoes then it is not going to happen. (Khalid Hussain, age 30)
To which I replied, 'no, er, an alternative paper'. 
I asked if we could go somewhere we could talk better? We could, but waiting for him outside was his pet dog, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier. 
