Goldsmith argued that school-leavers taking this oath would somehow give teenagers a sense of belonging to something. We might have little options but to face huge student debts or low paid insecure service sector jobs but at least we’ll know we’re doing it for Britain!

Peers of Lord Goldsmith came out criticising this measure with Baroness Kennedy saying “I think this is a serious mistake - I think it's puerile and I think it's rather silly. The symbols of a healthy democracy are not to be found in empty gestures and I'm afraid I see this as an empty gesture." Let’s not forget that the symbols of a healthy democracy are certainly not found in an unelected legislative institution like the House of Lords itself.

The report also called for the disenfranchisement of citizens of the Commonwealth nations from voting in British elections. In practice this means that people who have lived and worked in Britain for decades, many since they were children, will be denied votes. This is a disgusting attempt to cuddle up to racism and fears of ‘overcrowding’ by immigrants diluting ‘our culture’, and yet another failure to stand for working class unity against bigots by the Labour right.

My contact with others supposedly in line to take this oath has shown a large degree of distain towards it, all declaring that they would be unwilling to take it. This is not surprising; this proposal was not made to appeal to working class youth who may well be pushed in the direction of nationalist parties in Scotland and Wales as a result of this rampant chauvinism. This is far more concerning than most of the proposals themselves. It is quite likely after their usefulness as headline grabbers has gone they will be conveniently forgotten.

These proposals were made by a Labour government that has pandered to the demands of big business at the expense of working people. In an effort to cover the glaring cracks now appearing in our public services, below inflation pay rises, the imperialist military adventures in Iraq and Afghanistan and the Northern Rock farce, it has resorted to flag waving and giving those unruly kids some sense of pride. This may satisfy the Daily Mail and a wing of ‘middle England’ but it will do little to answer the problems for workers and youth. This oath will not stop the economic downturn or the growing radicalisation of the workers and youth. Socialist policies are the only solution to this situation and the very thing that those who wrap themselves in the Union Jack fear most and argue most bitterly against.

The abolition of the monarchy and the House of Lords. Full economic powers for the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly, enabling them to  introduce socialist measures in the interests of working people.