There's an aggressive fervour behind it all that's profoundly unhealthy - indeed downright sinister - and there's no reasoning with those in the grip of this national hysteria. Councillors who've announced that local authorities have a legal duty to remove some of the flags - not because they're British but because their presence raises public safety concerns - have received death threats and even been told they should be raped. This is not everyday "patriotism" but something far uglier.
3/n