Commentator Christine Hamilton has blasted the UK's Eurovision representative Olly Alexander after the pop star made a controversial claim about Britain's flag.
The 33-year-old contestant admitted in a new interview that he feels "ambivalent" about the Union Jack flag, and hopes to "reclaim the flag in a positive way".
Speaking to the Big Issue, Alexander said: "I too have an ambivalent relationship with the Union Jack and what that represents to people, because it can feel divisive, it can feel nationalist.
"But it can also feel like a representation of what’s good about the UK and what makes it good… the inclusivity, the diversity. I am choosing to focus on those aspects of what I believe being in the UK has given me, in my upbringing as well."
Christine Hamilton claims Olly Alexander 'should not represent the UK' at Eurovision
Eurovision / GB News
Reacting to the remarks on GB News, Hamilton said Alexander was only chosen to represent Great Britain "because he ticks all the diversity boxes".
Hamilton also admitted she "cannot believe that he's the best that this country can offer" for the competition.
Citing past contestants and winners, Hamilton told hosts Tom Harwood and Emily Carver: "I may be old, but the ones I remember are Cliff Richard, Lulu, Sandie Shore, all these wonderful entrants and people who went on to win.
"And last year we had the fabulous Sam Ryder, who obviously would have won had it not been for the Ukraine situation."
Olly Alexander will perform his song 'Dizzy' at the Eurovision song contest in Malmo
Eurovision
Host Tom Harwood argued that this country will be "hard pressed to find a musician in today's day and age" that "hasn't said something like this about the flag".
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Hamilton fumed: "He is there representing the UK. If he finds the flag divisive, if he's ambivalent about the flag, he apparently is going to wave it, then he really shouldn't be stepping up and doing it.
"We want somebody who's going to represent wholeheartedly what this country stands for, and if he can't do that, he really shouldn't be there in my view."
Political commentator Matthew Stadlen strongly disagreed with Hamilton and said she is "talking absolute nonsense" about Olly Alexander.
Stadlen hit back at Hamilton: "I am profoundly patriotic, I'm not a nationalist. And there's an important difference. It's not that I think that we are somehow supreme, but I love my country. I'm deeply proud of it.
Christine Hamilton says Olly Alexander has a 'cheek' to 'try and reclaim the flag'
GB News
"All Olly is saying is he's going to wave this flag, and is going to try to be part of this process of reclaiming it. By the way, Keir Starmer and the Labour Party are likely to form the next government of this country.
"They are also attempting to reclaim this flag, showing that the Labour Party is patriotic, but also that the Union Jack can stand for the whole of Britain, whereas it was hijacked for a dark period in the 1980s and 1990s."
Hamilton was infuriated by Stadlen's take on Eurovision, fuming: "He is representing the UK - the thing that is divisive about the flag is that it divides us from other countries, and any true Brit should be absolutely, incredibly proud to be out there flying the flag, representing this country.
"And he wants to reclaim it? What a flaming cheek. Who on earth is he to reclaim the flag? We have claimed the flag, it's our flag. It's one of the best flags in the country. And it is a fantastic symbol of everything that's good about this country. And to try and say it represents a far right, that is rubbish."
