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Dame Emily Thornberry has thrown her hat into the ring as the race to become Labour’s next deputy leader heats up – but it’s not the first time the MP has made headlines. The Islington South and Finsbury politician quit her role as Shadow Attorney General after being accused of “outragous snobbery” for a post about the England flag back in 2014.

Ms Thornberry shared a post on social media showing a terraced house draped with England flags, and a white van parked outside, during that year’s Rochester and Strood by-election, alongside the caption: “Image from #Rochester”. The seat was won by Nigel Farage’s UKIP party, with Labour in third place. UKIP accused Ms Thornberry of “sneering and looking down her nose” at the electorate and then-Labour leader Ed Miliband was also reportedly “angry” at her for the post. It triggered an onslaught of backlash online, with critics accusing her of “outrageous snobbery” and “sneering at working class people”.

She apologised shortly after the incident, claiming her post had been misinterpreted, and announced her resignation from the Shadow Cabinet in a bid to “not let anything distract from Labour’s chance to win the coming General Election”.

Fast forward more than a decade, and Ms Thornberry is a top contender to replace Angela Rayner as the party’s deputy leader, after confirming her intention to stand for the role on X today.

The chairwoman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee said: “I’m running for deputy leader of the Labour Party. We fought hard for a Labour government. But we’ve made mistakes and must listen.

“Welfare. Gaza. Wealth tax. Changes to come on SEND. I will be a voice for the membership, unions, PLP and our constituents – not just not along.”

The backlash over her 2014 post could come back to haunt her, however, especially in the wake of the ‘Operation Raise the Colours’ movement continuing to sweep the UK, with Brits putting St George’s and Union Jack flags on lamp-posts, roundabouts and other public spaces.

The campaign, which follows weeks of protests outside asylum seeker hotels, has become a contentious issue, with several local authorities removing the flags and politicians decrying them as symbols of xenophobia or racism.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he is “very encouraging” of the trend but warned that the flags’ meaning could be devalued when co-opted for “divisive purposes”.

He told BBC Radio 5Live: “I’m very encouraging of flags. I think they’re patriotic and I think they’re a great symbol of our nation.

“I don’t think they should be devalued or belittled. I think sometimes when they’re used purely for divisive purposes, actually it devalues the flag. I don’t want to see that. I’m proud of our flag.”