Patriotism built Britain - it is the only thing that can save it

National identity in Britain has never been less clearly defined. Huge numbers of Britons feel deserted by the politicians who ostensibly represent them, believing that they are not serving the national interest. This sense of alienation is profoundly dangerous, as two destabilising forces could rush to fill the void of identity: a rapidly resurgent nationalism and an uncompromising progressive ideology. These mutually conflicting forces both purport to offer a sense of cohesion and purpose that is currently missing from our national life.

The evidence of the erosion of British national identity is everywhere. Once dismissed as a protest movement, Reform UK is now a serious political contender, far ahead of the other parties in the opinion polls, and Nigel Farage now stands a very real chance of walking into Downing Street in just a few years. The rise of Reform has coincided with increasing concern over the continuing threat to national identity.

This crisis of identity is not unique to Britain. In Austria, the Freedom Party has surged because mainstream national politicians have placed the priorities of the European Union above those of their own citizens. Across Europe, voters are turning away from established parties that have overseen uncontrolled mass immigration, economic stagnation and social turmoil. In the United States, the upsurge of Donald Trump is a direct result of an electoral base that feels disregarded by the political establishment.

This shift reflects a deep-seated breakdown of trust between the governed and those who govern. History teaches us that when democratic institutions are failing and no longer represent the legitimate concerns of the people, a more dangerous option can emerge.

The political transformation we have seen in many Western democracies is a result of a thirst for patriotism rather than a switch to a toxic nationalism.

Patriotism is an essential element of a nation's social bond. It gives citizens a sense of belonging, with both a shared history and an everyday experience. It strengthens democracy by providing people with a sense that they have a real stake in their nation's future.

In contrast to patriotism, a more dangerous nationalism defines itself by exclusion: by drawing lines and erecting barriers between 'us' and 'them'; by focusing on who does not belong, rather than on what is shared. As history instructs us, unchecked nationalism has led to fascism in Italy, Nazism in Germany, and ethnic cleansing in the Balkans. Unwanted change, and consequent concerns over identity fuelled by nationalism, have invariably proved destructive.

Any nation's priority must be to ensure the wellbeing of its people - it must truly serve its citizens. When a government prioritises an inflexible doctrine and fails to safeguard its people, it has ceased to serve the nation and instead serves itself. Iran under the Ayatollahs is a classic example of how backward ideological obsessions have led to the sacrifice of freedom, prosperity and national dignity.

Political dogma - be it from the far Left or the far Right - seeks to create a social order in which every citizen thinks the same way and every social group is ideologically aligned. In our time, far-Left and radical progressive ideological parties seek to undermine prevailing social cohesion, pretending to do so in the name of diversity, while far-Right populist parties promise to disrupt everything in the name of restoring an imaginary past order.

The popularity of Reform UK is a direct result of the conservative establishment having failed for too long to address problems that are of real concern to the people. Alienated and worried voters have, understandably, sought and found a new political home.

The future for British political institutions lies not in trying to outdo the nationalists or submit to the progressives, but instead to reclaim and assert a practical form of patriotism-one that is founded on tradition, yet unashamedly forward-looking. A patriotism that safeguards British institutions, strengthening social ties in an increasingly diverse society and defending national sovereignty.

This will make for enlightened immigration policies that both serve the national interest and respect human dignity; cultural policies that uphold British traditions while embracing those who share them; economic policies that put British workers and their families first; and foreign policies that defend our own interests while maintaining our international alliances.

Britain today is far from perfect, and economic, social, and political problems abound. But an imperfect country has capacity for progress and improvement. Patriotism is an integral part of achieving that improvement. Reform UK understand that; and the old political elite will ignore it at their peril.