A RELATIVELY recent development in political interviews or press conferences with Government ministers is the appearance of the Union Jack on prominent display in the background.

The use of the Union flag as a political symbol signalling patriotism is nothing new nor is its appropriation by politicians. While Samuel Johnson’s 1775 aphorism that “patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel” has coloured our understanding of the term, a year earlier Johnson printed The Patriot, in which he stated: “A patriot is he whose public conduct is regulated by one single motive, the love of his country; who, as an agent in parliament, has, for himself, neither hope nor fear, neither kindness nor resentment, but refers every thing to the common interest.”

This question of what constitutes patriotism and the common good is one which should be uppermost in the mind of Conservative MPs as they consider the fortunes and future of Boris Johnson as the pressure continues to build upon him as a consequence of his actions – whether that be in refusing to apologise for slurs against Keir Starmer or in the slowly unfolding saga of “partygate”.

For those MPs and others with the power to hold Boris Johnson to account, the place of patriotism and the common good is at risk of being lost to other factors such as promotion, patronage and politics.

For the new intake of 2019 MPs, the prospects of ascending the greasy pole of political promotion seem to lie squarely in putting their support behind the Prime Minister. This has led to ludicrous examples of sycophancy, such as the suggestion that Boris Johnson was “ambushed by cake”, or the continued defence of the Prime Minister’s assertion in December 2021 that “the guidelines were followed at all times".

Alongside the prospects for promotion has been the benefits of patronage that arise from supporting the Prime Minister or the consequences of failing to do so. Last month William Wragg, the chair of the Commons public administration committee, accused Government whips and 10 Downing Street of blackmail by threatening to withdraw investment from areas if their MPs support a no confidence vote against the Prime Minister, potentially imperilling local bids to the levelling up fund.

And, of course, beneath promotion and patronage lies the raw equations of party politics.

The belief that Boris Johnson is the only Conservative politican to reach those “red wall” constituencies that others cannot reach has led to many Conservative MPs both holding their nose and holding their breath as they place the fortunes of their party ahead of their country despite recognising the damage that is being done to trust in politics, politicians and the nature of democracy.

At such a time of political uncertainty, and in the midst of financial pressures for us all, the country needs true patriots. Patriots who will place their love of the common good ahead of promotion, patronage and politics.

Far from being the last refuge of the scoundrel this patriotism is founded in the cradle of courage and places love of queen and country above narrow ambition.

  • The Reverend Arun Arora is the vicar of St Nicholas' Church in Durham Market Place