Tim Farron urges Lib Dems to reclaim patriotism as party seeks to outflank Farage and Reform UK at Bournemouth conference.
The Liberal Democrats launched their annual conference in Bournemouth with an unexpected burst of patriotic theatre, as former leader Tim Farron draped himself in a flag and urged members to “reclaim patriotism” from the far right.
In a rally that broke with the party’s traditionally cautious image, the MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale marched onto the stage beneath a shower of glitter, accompanied by the brass strains of Land of Hope and Glory. A giant Union Jack beamed across the screen behind him as confetti cannons rained down, before Farron roared: “We will not have our history, our heritage, and our home stolen by the poison of nationalism.”
His flag — a specially designed banner featuring the Cross of St George with a Union Jack in one corner and slogans hailing his beloved Blackburn Rovers football club — became the centrepiece of the opening night rally. Holding it aloft, Farron declared: “Be proud of your country, the British flag and the flags of our four nations. They are ours. They belong to all of us. Let’s take them back. Let’s wave them with pride.”
The theatrics worked. A membership often caricatured as mild-mannered responded with rare exuberance. Delegates jumped to their feet, waved hundreds of mini Union flags and cheered as Farron insisted it was time to “stop being so flaming squeamish and English”.
The former leader argued that the Lib Dems should present themselves as the true champions of British values — tolerant, open and outward-looking — rather than cede patriotic symbols to populists. “Let us reclaim our flags for those who would reunite and rebuild, not divide and destroy,” he told activists. “We will not yield our identity, our flag, or our country to the nationalists. A Britain that may be broken by the wickedness of hatred, fake news and isolation, but a Britain that I passionately believe is not beyond healing.”
The speech marked a striking departure for a party that has long avoided overt displays of national pride. Yet senior figures are keen to draw sharp contrasts with Reform UK and its leader Nigel Farage, whom they accuse of peddling “plastic patriotism”.
In a tongue-in-cheek move, the Lib Dems unveiled a Lego-style figurine of Farage dubbed the “plastic patriot”, which has been included in welcome packs for journalists attending the conference. Officials said it symbolised what they see as the hollowness of Reform’s rhetoric compared to the Liberal Democrats’ embrace of what they call “genuine patriotism”.
Party leader Sir Ed Davey joined the flag-filled spectacle by arriving at the conference centre in a parade through Bournemouth Central Gardens, led by a marching band shipped in from the Isle of Wight. Activists waved Union Jacks as Davey twirled a baton, before the band broke into Sweet Caroline, an anthem familiar to football fans.
For Davey, whose conference appearances have previously included stunts such as paddleboarding and riding rollercoasters, the flag-waving entrance was a calculated attempt to show that the Liberal Democrats are serious about patriotism — but on their own terms. “The vast majority of people who’ve got decent values, respect for the rule of law, tolerance, who love our country like the Liberal Democrats do,” he told reporters, “want to see a party that is true to British values but will change our country.”
The battle over national symbols was not confined to the conference hall. Outside a town centre hotel housing migrants, a group styling themselves as “Bournemouth Patriots” staged a protest under the Union Jack and the Cross of St George. They were met by a counter-demonstration, highlighting the fraught and contested place of the flag in modern Britain.
For the Liberal Democrats, the challenge is to harness patriotism without alienating voters wary of nationalism. By choosing Bournemouth — a seaside town with visible tensions around immigration and identity — the party underlined its determination to claim space in the national conversation about who speaks for Britain.
Behind the theatrics lies a clear electoral strategy. Senior Lib Dems believe that Nigel Farage’s rise with Reform UK represents not only a challenge to the Conservatives but an opportunity for their own party to present itself as a patriotic yet moderate alternative.
By adopting symbols long associated with the right, the leadership hopes to erode perceptions that the party is detached from mainstream sentiment. The gamble is that this repositioning can attract voters who are proud of Britain but distrust what Farron called the “wickedness of hatred, fake news and isolation” fostered by nationalist forces.
As the week of speeches and fringe debates unfolds, the conference will test whether the new tone resonates beyond the flag-draped theatrics of its opening night. For now, the Liberal Democrats are waving their banners high — and betting that patriotism can be a rallying cry for the centre ground.
