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Rishi Sunak has warned against “messing with” national flags after Nike changed the colour of the St George’s Cross on England’s new football shirt.

Wading into the controversy, the prime minister argued the standards are “a source of pride, identity, who we are and they are perfect as we are”.

His comments came as a backlash grew over the modification to the flag by the US sportswear giant, with fans demanding the original flag be reinstated and an online petition collecting thousands of signatures.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has already called on Nike to “reconsider” its decision, as the symbol was a “unifier”.

Labour’s shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry has also branded it “peculiar”, pointing out people would not expect the heraldic Welsh dragon to be swapped “to a pussycat” or the French tricolour to be altered.

The row was triggered after Nike revealed it had changed the traditional red cross and introduced purple and blue stripes.

The company dubbed it as “a playful update” to the shirt ahead of Euro 2024, inspired by the training kit worn by England’s 1966 World Cup winners.

Sunak said: “Obviously, I prefer the original and my general view is when it comes to our national flags we shouldn’t mess with them because they are a source of pride, identity, who we are and they are perfect as we are.”

Sunak’s comments followed calls from opposition leader Starmer on Thursday for Nike to rethink the design.

Starmer told The Sun: “I’m a big football fan, I go to England games, men and women’s games, and the flag is used by everybody. It is a unifier. It doesn’t need to be changed. We just need to be proud of it.

“So, I think they should just reconsider this and change it back. I’m not even sure they can properly explain why they thought they needed to change it in the first place.”

A petition on Change.org calling for a design change had already attracted more than 19,000 signatures by 10am on Friday morning.

Some football pundits and fans have criticised the design and price of the shirt since it was launched earlier this week.

An “authentic” version costs £124.99 for adults and £119.99 for children while a “stadium” version is £84.99 and £64.99 for children.

The Labour leader also called on Nike to reduce the price.

A Nike spokesperson previously told media outlets: “The England 2024 home kit disrupts history with a modern take on a classic.

“The trim on the cuffs takes its cues from the training gear worn by England’s 1966 heroes, with a gradient of blues and reds topped with purple. The same colours also feature an interpretation of the flag of St George on the back of the collar.”

Euro 2024 fixtures, dates and groups

The Euro 2024 groups have been drawn, with England, Scotland and Wales – if they come through the play-offs – discovering their fates.

The tournament kicks off on Friday June 14 when hosts Germany face Scotland in Munich.

See the full Euro 2024 schedule here.

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