The Royal British Legion’s pride flag poppy has been branded “ridiculous” in a heated debate on whether the symbol of the poppy should be “politicised”.
The poppy features a pride progress flag to represent all areas of the LGBTQIA+ community, with part of the £8 price tag being donated to controversial charity Stonewall.
Taking to social media, The Royal British Legion said: “Our Pride Badge symbolises support for the LGBTIQ+ community, an integral part of our Armed Forces past and present.
“It stands in solidarity with those who faced discrimination, especially under the Ban, when being gay, lesbian, or bisexual in the military was illegal.”
Charlie Rowley and Benjamin Butterworth clashed over the poppy displaying a pride flag
GB News / Poppy Appeal
Hitting out at the decision to add the flag to the poppy, former Conservative adviser Charlie Rowley slammed the “ridiculous” move by the Legion, questioning their decision to “politicise a symbol that unifies us”.
Rowley fumed: ” I think the whole thing is ridiculous, and I think most people would be sitting in their homes, looking at their television, thinking exactly the same.
“If there is one thing that is above politics and above any kind of division or any kind of group or section of society, whether it’s religion, race, sexuality, gender, it is about the people that put on that uniform and train to defend this country and many, many people across the world.”
Furthering his argument, Rowley argued that Britons should be “focusing on the respect for veterans” and “putting aside all of the division”.
The pin is available on the Royal British Legion’s shop for £8, with some of the money going towards LGBT charity Stonewall
Poppy Appeal
Rowley told GB News: “The one thing that can bring this country together, and everybody who the whole country will celebrate, whoever puts on that uniform, whether you are black or white or gay or straight or trans, whatever your race, religion, colour, whatever it is, putting on that uniform of the armed forces is what gets you that respect. That’s what unites this country.
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“Wearing one single poppy for a day, even if it’s just on Remembrance Day, to put aside all of that division and celebrate the success of this country, is what we should be focusing on.”
In complete disagreement with Rowley, commentator Benjamin Butterworth argued that there are “many different types of poppies” and the war was “arguably won by a gay man”, Alan Turing.
Butterworth stated: “There are lots of different types of poppies – there’s a poppy that is designed for football supporters, and weirdly, there was no outrage about that. But by your logic Charlie, that shouldn’t happen because it’s singling them out.
“I really think the idea that there’s a poppy to celebrate gay veterans, of which there are now many, is a good thing, unless we forget that the Second World War might not have been won by us if it weren’t for a gay man.”
Rowley claimed the poppy is ‘ridiculous’ and should ‘not be politicised’
GB News
Butterworth explained: “It was Alan Turing who cracked the Enigma code. That probably was the single most significant shift that we had to win the war at the end.
“And what did the British state do to that genius? Well, they chemically castrated him, and he took his own life a few years later.
“It was only 20 odd years ago that we stopped it being a criminal offence to be openly gay in the armed forces. And I think having a way to fundraise for veterans from this badge, which is £8, so you have to be a rich guy to afford it, I think that’s a good thing.”