You know a politician is in trouble and short of ideas when they start talking about saluting the flag and pride in our country. So I am not surprised that the commentariat and public have reacted with scorn to the suggestion by former Attorney General Lord Goldsmith that teenagers should undergo a citizenship ceremony.

He seems to think that even Republicans and the various Celtic Britons will happily put their hands on their hearts and pledge allegiance to HRH. The reaction has been overwealmingly that the whole point of being British is we simply don’t do that sort of thing. So I suppose he has succeeded in uniting the nation.

Gordon Brown is obsessed by Britishness. It must partly be because he fears we will reject him as a Scot. It may also be because it allows him to outflank David Cameron on the right by being even more loyal to Crown and country than the Conservatives. It also allows Labour to talk about immigration but in a non-racist and inclusive manner. This must feel like clever tactical politics but at a time when the economy is hitting choppy waters, the public may feel that this is flag waving when the government is drowning.

This is one rather silly response from The Daily Mash.