And probably a bit naïve if this hadn't been anticipated.

It comes as a surprise to some people to learn that St George wasn't an Englishman, that he hadn't been to England, and hadn't even heard of England.

He couldn't have done – because when he was alive, our island's shores were still just a province in the Roman Empire!

George wasn't even a European, he was Asian, and his skin certainly wasn't white.

He was a 4th Century Palestinian soldier!

So it's one of life's great ironies that extremist political groups like the BNP have hijacked Saint George and perverted him into being their symbol of no, not reasonable patriotism, but xenophobic Nationalism.

As a foreigner, with an olive skin, who couldn't speak English, Saint George is a very appropriate patron saint for a multi-cultural country like ours.

A country which has, in fact, always been comprised of people from many different cultures and backgrounds, which is something of an inconvenient truth for the BNP.

And a country which takes its name – England – from a Germanic tribe who invaded, occupied and settled these shores in the power-vacuum after the Romans pulled out after AD 400.

The cult of Saint George came to these shores from the Holy Land with the Crusaders – as it did also to some of our European partners, like Portugal, Greece and Catalonia in Spain, together with a number of other states and kingdoms.

Saint George has a very cosmopolitan appeal!

Before they pray upon and twist people's fears and worries to garner support, and peddle their pernicious social poison of prejudice and racism, the BNP would do well to read the history books about our land a little more closely.

Given the nature of extremist political groups in this country, I regret to have to ask for my name and address to be withheld in publication, as I don't particularly want a brick through the window or my family terrorised – things which, as we know, has happened elsewhere in our democratic Land…

DOWNHAM RESIDENT