A 100-year-old war veteran left the hosts of “Good Morning Britain” taken aback when he expressed regret, saying that the victory in World War II feels ‘not worth it’ given the current state of the UK.
Alec Penstone shared with hosts Adil Ray and Kate Garraway the story of how he left his factory job to join the Royal Navy and serve his country as soon as he was eligible.
Reflecting on his wartime experiences, Penstone remembered serving alongside close friends, many of whom did not survive, and humbly described himself as ‘just a lucky one’ for making it through.
When asked by Garraway about the significance of Remembrance Sunday, Penstone candidly expressed his disappointment, stating that the victory in the war seems ‘not worth’ the current condition of the nation.
His views resonate with a growing number of Britons, as a recent survey indicates a significant decline in national pride and a perception of increased societal division under the leadership of Sir Keir Starmer.
In a trend causing concern for Downing Street, the survey revealed that eight out of ten people now feel the nation is divided, marking an increase of five percentage points from two years ago and ten points from 2020.
Commenting on the survey results this morning, former Tory minister Michael Gove argued ‘mass immigration’ was partly to blame for harming Britain’s common culture.
The poll found Reform voters were most worried about the cultural state of the nation, suggesting Nigel Farage’s party stand to make big gains in future elections.
And half of the public said Britain’s ‘culture’ was changing too fast, up from a third.
World War II veteran Alec Penstone said he felt that winning the war was ‘not worth’ how Britain had turned out today
The war hero told Adil Ray and Kate Garraway how he quit his factory job to sign up for the Royal Navy and fight for his country as soon as he came of age
Mr Penstone left the Good Morning Britain hosts ‘mortified’ with his saddening admission about the state of the country.
He told viewers: ‘My message is, I can see in my mind’s eye those rows and rows of white stones and all the hundreds of my friends who gave their lives, for what? The country of today?
‘No, I’m sorry – but the sacrifice wasn’t worth the result of what it is now.’
When he was asked to clarify what he meant by Mr Ray, he continued: ‘What we fought for was our freedom, but now it’s a darn sight worse than when I fought for it.’
The veteran did not specify the factors he believes are behind Britain’s decline.
Consoling him, Ms Garraway chimed in: ‘Alec, I’m sorry you feel like that and I want you to know that all the generations that have come since, including me and my children, are so grateful for your bravery and all the other service personnel.
‘It’s our job now to make it the country that you fought for, and we will do.’
Reassured, Mr Penstone continued: ‘It’s so wonderful to know there are people like you who spread the word around to the younger generations.’
Baron Gove, the former Secretary of State for Education, suggested this morning that concerns about changes to Britain’s culture were linked to ‘mass immigration’.
‘I think you can’t separate the question of mass migration from the question of a common culture,’ he told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme.
‘The rate at which a society changes demographically can be accepted, managed, tolerated, and indeed welcomed by the host population if there is a feeling that the culture they cherish is not being challenged or changed.
‘One of the problems with the current pace of migration is not just the numbers, which obviously put a pressure on public services, but it is also the sense that new arrivals are not being invited to share in a common culture.
‘That culture is either being wrenched out of shape or is fragmenting under pressure.’
The new survey about national pride was carried out by researchers at King’s College London and pollsters Ipsos, who have been tracking UK cultural trends annually since 2020.
They branded their latest set of findings ‘frightening’ and said they laid bare an increasingly divided, polarised and downbeat society.
They also highlight how much of the public thinks Labour has failed to get to grips with several of their key priorities – and has potentially even fanned the flames of division with its wavering stance on issues like trans rights and Net Zero.
Lord Young of Acton, boss of the Free Speech Union, said: ‘This is the effect of Labour’s divisive identity politics.
‘Sir Keir Starmer and his ministers have been pandering to minorities who claim to be the victims of intersectional oppression, prioritising their rights and needs over those of ordinary Britons.
‘Labour politicians justify this two-tier approach by claiming it promotes community cohesion, but in reality it creates social division, as this poll makes clear.’
Reform UK MP Lee Anderson said: ‘Of course national pride has fallen. The education system is corrupting our youth, leadership has been weak for decades and millions can no longer afford a home of their own.
‘For patriotism to flourish, Britons need strong leadership and the confidence that their government is working for them, not against them.’
Sir John Hayes, chair of the Tory common sense group of MPs, said: ‘Keir came in with no clear defining purpose.
‘So people are feeling at sea because they think the Government doesn’t know which way it wants to take the country in.
‘The absence of a plan from Government doesn’t build popular confidence.
‘Ideological multi-culturalism basically said to people you can live how you like, do what you like, you don’t need to mingle, you can be introspective, and then we’re surprised that we’ve got a fragmented society.
‘We have to deconstruct that and have more people buying into British values and a shared sense of Britishness.’
In a sign that many think immigration remains too high under Labour, half of the public said Britain’s ‘culture’ was changing too fast – up from 35 per cent in 2020.
And 48 per cent said they would like the country to ‘be the way it used to be’, up from 28 per cent.
Strikingly, nostalgia for Britain’s past rose in every single age-group, even among 16 to 24-year-olds.
Nearly a third of this age group wanted the country to return to how it ‘used to be’, up from 16 per cent in 2020.
The next biggest jump was in people aged over 55, which soared from 34 per cent to 62 per cent.
National pride across all age groups also plummeted, with less than half (46 per cent) saying they were ‘proud’ of their country – down ten points from 2020.
The most prominent drop was among 16 to 24-year-olds (47 per cent to 29 per cent), followed by 35 to 54-year-olds (54 per cent to 43 per cent).
Across all age groups, 86 per cent said they believed there were greater tensions today between immigrants and people born in the UK, up from 74 per cent two years ago.
Nearly seven in ten who took part in the study cited ‘culture wars’ issues as being central to widespread divisions, up from less than half (46 per cent) in 2020.
Mr Penstone pictured in 1945, when he was stationed in Hong Kong
Among the cultural issues to spark public anger in recent weeks has been the decision by some ITV stars not to wear poppies while presenting their shows.
They include Kevin Maguire, who was seen without one on GMB on October 29.
While the left-wing journalist did not address his decision, he has previously told of opting not to wear until the week before Remembrance Sunday.
Meanwhile, Loose Women host Charlene White defended her decision not to wear a poppy on screen, insisting she had taken the decision to avoid being seen to favour a particular charity.
She said: ‘I support the [Royal British Legion], I donate to its work, I believe in its work, and I wear a Poppy off screen.
‘But I believe in the impartiality rules which exist in broadcasting regarding charities.
‘You may not agree with me, and I genuinely don’t expect everyone to, but disagreement does not legitimise the abuse.’
Ms White revealed her Jamaican father had served in the RAF and she was passionate about honouring war veterans.
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1 and ITVX.
