Nationalism vs Patriotism: Why the Difference Really Matters

Let’s Talk About Love of Country (And When It Goes Wrong)

We need to have an honest conversation about something that’s been troubling me—and likely you as well. Have you noticed how some politicians constantly claim to be “true patriots” while making half the country feel excluded? There’s definitely something wrong with that, isn’t there?

Here’s the thing: loving your country and being a nationalist aren’t the same thing at all. In fact, they’re almost opposites.

And until we get our heads round this distinction, we’re going to keep falling for political movements that dress up division as devotion to Britain.

What Real Patriotism Looks Like

Let me paint you a picture of genuine patriotism. It’s your neighbour who volunteers at the local food bank. It’s the teacher staying late to help struggling students. It’s cheering when Team GB smashes it at the Olympics, then graciously congratulating the winners when we don’t.

Real patriotism is inclusive—it’s saying “come on, join in!” to anyone who wants to be part of making Britain brilliant. It’s being proud of fish and chips AND chicken tikka masala. It’s knowing that what makes us British isn’t about where your grandparents were born, but whether you queue properly and apologise when someone else bumps into you.

This kind of love for country is empowering. It makes you want to roll up your sleeves and fix what’s broken, not just moan about it down the pub. And it’s genuinely celebratory—we can be chuffed about Shakespeare and the NHS without needing to slag off the French (much).

Nationalism: The Ugly Cousin Nobody Wants to Talk About

Now, nationalism? That’s a different beast entirely. Where patriotism says “I love us,” nationalism says “I hate them.” It’s not content with Britain being great—it needs Britain to be better than everyone else. Everything becomes a competition, and not the fun, sporting kind.

The really toxic bit about nationalism is how exclusionary it is. It’s forever drawing lines between “proper” Brits and everyone else. You know the type—they’re the ones who think having a Polish neighbour somehow dilutes their Britishness, as if national identity were a finite resource that might run out.

This mindset is properly divisive. It turns communities against each other, makes neighbours suspicious, and transforms every discussion about the future into an argument about who has the right to be here. Instead of asking “How can we make things better?”, nationalism asks “Who can we blame?”

Reform UK: When Nationalism Puts on a Patriotic Mask

Right, let’s address the elephant in the room: Reform UK. They’ll tell you till they’re blue in the face that they’re patriots standing up for British values. But hang on a minute—let’s look at what they’re actually selling.

When you really listen to their message, it’s all about threats and competition. Immigration isn’t just a complex issue to be managed—it’s an invasion. International cooperation isn’t give-and-take—it’s surrender. Multiculturalism isn’t enriching—it’s dangerous.

That’s not confidence in Britain; that’s fear dressed up as pride. A proper patriot knows Britain is strong enough to work with others, secure enough to welcome newcomers, and confident enough to change and grow. The Reform UK worldview? It’s defensive, paranoid, and frankly a bit pathetic for a nation with our history and capabilities.

Why Reform Voters Aren’t the Villains Here

Now, before anyone gets their knickers in a twist, I’m not saying Reform UK voters are terrible people. Most of them aren’t. They’re worried about their communities. They feel like nobody’s listening to them. They’ve watched their high streets die and their kids move away because they can’t afford to stay.

These are real problems that deserve real solutions. The tragedy is that nationalism doesn’t offer any. Building walls—literal or metaphorical—won’t bring back manufacturing jobs. Blaming immigrants won’t fix the housing crisis. Leaving international agreements won’t make your energy bills cheaper.

What these voters need is genuine patriotic leadership that says: “Right, let’s sort this out together.” Not: “It’s all their fault, vote for me and I’ll make them go away.”

The Alternative: Patriotism That Actually Works

Here’s what patriotic politics could look like if we stopped confusing it with nationalism:

We’d invest in integration programmes that help newcomers become part of their communities, not because we fear them, but because we know everyone benefits when we’re all pulling in the same direction.

We’d work with other nations not from weakness, but from strength—confident that Britain has loads to offer and nothing to fear from cooperation.

We’d celebrate what makes us British without needing to pretend we’re superior to everyone else. (Though obviously, our sense of humour actually is superior. That’s just facts.)

We’d acknowledge our history—the good and the bad—because real love means being honest about shortcomings whilst working to do better.

Time to Call It What It Is

Look, I get it. When politicians wrap themselves in the flag and talk about “taking back control,” it can sound appealing, especially if you’re frustrated with how things are going. But we need to start calling this stuff out for what it is.

When someone says they’re a patriot but spends all their time telling you who doesn’t belong—that’s nationalism.

When they claim to love Britain but can only define it by what it’s against—that’s nationalism.

When their vision of the country excludes millions of people who live here, work here, and call this place home—that’s nationalism.

And nationalism, let’s be clear, is poison for democracy. It doesn’t solve problems; it creates scapegoats. It doesn’t unite countries; it divides them. It doesn’t make nations stronger; it makes them smaller, meaner, and more afraid.

So Where Do We Go From Here?

The choice isn’t between loving your country and being a “citizen of the world.” You can be both.

In fact, the best patriots usually are—they love their country enough to want it to be a force for good in the world, not just for itself.

So next time someone tries to tell you that excluding people, fearing change, or competing with everyone else makes them a patriot, ask them this: Is that really love of country, or is it just fear wearing a patriotic costume?

Because Britain deserves better than nationalism masquerading as patriotism. We deserve leadership that brings us together rather than divides us, that faces the future with confidence rather than fear, and that knows the difference between loving your country and hating everyone else’s.