Ex-British Army chief blasts 'cynical' white poppies as students show solidarity with Gaza: 'It's spoiling the red poppy!'

According to the Peace Pledge Union (PPU), the number of white poppy education packs, which include 100 white poppies and additional materials has almost tripled since 2020 - and are being snapped up by Britain's primary schools, secondary schools and universities.

Speaking to GB News, former head of the British Army Lord Dannatt voiced his concerns about the "two issues being conflated" during the remembrance period.

Dannatt explained: "We've seen white poppies over the years on a number of occasions, and it might surprise people that actually most soldiers are really quite keen on peace - the advantage of peace is avoiding getting killed.

"However, what I think is really sad is when you conflate two important issues. A really important issue at this time of year is that we wear red poppies, and we lay wreaths and we attend services and commemorations to remember those who fought and fell and lost their lives for our freedom and security in the two world wars and in many conflicts."

Encouraging the support for Gaza and those affected by the Middle Eastern conflict, Dannatt claimed that it is people's "prerogative" to go on peace marches and wear the poppies if they wish, but warned that the decision to wear one during remembrance will "spoil" the commemorations which are "very dear" to the British population.

Dannatt told GB News: "If people want to march for peace, sing for peace, wear white poppies for peace over Gaza, that's their prerogative to do that.

"But it's a bit cynical to try and take over the red poppy, to try and take over our annual commemoration, which is very dear to a large proportion of this population, and to spoil it by the controversy that we're having now in this conversation. You can do that anytime with the year if you want to."

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Highlighting that on occasion, world conflict "can only be resolved through fighting", Dannatt stressed that people "forget" that conflicts also must be endured to "restore peace and security and stability for years to come".

Dannatt told GB News: "In an ideal world, in which we do not live, we'd live in peace the whole time. But there are times when negotiations, diplomacy, international discussions break down and we're in a conflict situation, which at the end of the day, the only way it can be resolved is through fighting.

"But there are times in the world in which we live when we have to use force, we have to use violence according to the laws of war in order to restore peace.

"And I think a lot of people forget that because at the end of the day, fighting is not fighting for its own sake - it's actually to restore peace and security and stability for years to come."

When discussing the push for students to wear the white poppy instead of the traditional red by schools and universities, host Patrick Christys questioned whether the move gives us an idea of "what is being taught in schools" in today's Britain.

Dannatt responded: "I think in schools, this is a dangerous situation because children in schools are very vulnerable.

"They'll listen to what their parents say, they'll listen to what their teachers say, and if teachers are promoting the sort of woke culture that is pushing a white poppy, pushing peace as a preference to war, that's very dangerous."