PRIME Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned those who “exploit” the England flag to “whip up hatred,” as he called for the country to reject division and embrace a “patriotic path of national renewal.”

The country is facing a struggle “between patriots who care about our country, and populists who only care about themselves,” Sir Keir said.

It comes after more than 110,000 protesters, many carrying flags, marched in far-right figure Tommy Robinson’s Unite the Kingdom protest in London last week.

“Robinson” is the alias of convicted fraudster, drug dealer and violent offender Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.

“When populist politicians, convicted criminals and foreign billionaires take to the stage to encourage violence, make racist comments and threaten our democracy, it casts a dark shadow of fear and violence across our society,” Sir Keir wrote in The Sun today.

“They want to drag our country down into a toxic spiral of division and hatred because it’s good for them.

“But their vile lies are not good for the country.”

Sir Keir previously boasted that he had a St George’s flag in his flat as fascists began to vandalise street signs and public buildings during anti-asylum housing protests — painting the England flag and, in some instances, swastikas.

The PM acknowledged that “people feel angry” about the state of the country after 15 years of neglected public services, a weakening economy and an eroding trust in politics.

He said: “I share that frustration. I’m determined to fix it. But a small minority see instead an opportunity to whip up hatred.”

The Prime Minister is expected to set out more details of his vision for a patriotic Britain later this week.

Meanwhile, a group of senior church leaders signed an open letter condemning the “co-opting and corrupting” of Christian symbols at last week’s march.

They wrote: “Many individuals and communities felt anxious, unsettled and even threatened by aspects of the march.”

The leader said the protest “included racist, anti-Muslim and far right elements” and “as Christians from different theological and political backgrounds we stand together against the misuse of Christianity.”

Polling by Opinium released on Saturday showed that more than half of voters think Sir Keir should resign, including a third of 2024 Labour voters.

Sir Keir’s approval rating has slumped further to minus 42 per cent, approaching the minus 44 per cent Boris Johnson hit after his Tory government collapsed.