Liberal Democrat supporters have branded Operation Raise the Colours “threatening” and “intimidating” as the party’s Autumn conference winds down in Bournemouth. Union and St George’s Cross flags have appeared across towns and cities in recent weeks as part of an online campaign, including in the Dorset seaside town where Sir Ed Davey’s party congregated over the weekend.

A flag was spray-painted on the 128-year-old St Luke’s Church in Winton, Bournemouth, earlier this month, prompting Dorset Police to launch a criminal damage investigation. Mr Davey hasn’t shied away from controversy at the three-day event, including by branding Elon Musk “a criminal”, and his supporters also didn’t mince their words when speaking about their views on the “frightening” Operation Raise the Colours campaign. “I support patriotism, I don’t support racism,” one attendee told the BBC. “A lot of people are using those flags in a way to intimidate,” another added. “And I think that’s really sad because I think we should be able to reclaim that flag.”

While one youngster said he thought the movement was a “good” thing because “the country should be patriotic”, another declared the flag-raising trend to be “threatening and frightening”.

“It’s just threatening seeing all these flags being put up,” she said. “I’m from England and I’m still scared seeing all the flags. I just find it quite frightening.”

Operation Raise the Colours has become a contentious issue, with several councils removing them from public infrastructure and local officials deeming them xenophobic or racist.

Former Lib Dem leader Tim Farron also took aim at the campaign while opening the conference, arguing that participants were hijacking the flag to “intimidate and terrify” and did not truly love their country.

“How dare the nationalists steal our flags?” he said. “How dare they steal what it is to be British, English, Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish?”

Mr Farron added that he identified as a “proud patriot” but not a nationalist. “And you can tell the difference easily,” he told the crowd. “You see, patriots love their country. Nationalists hate their neighbours. I love my country.”

Lib Dem strategists reportedly believe they could become major beneficiaries of the UK’s volatile political landscape, assuming that there will be a ceiling on the number of people dissatisfied with Labour and the Conservatives but unwilling to vote for Reform UK.

Mr Davey also doubled down on his criticism of Nigel Farage over the weekend, telling GB News: “He is a threat to our country and to our democracy. What he wants to do, and that’s why he looks a bit like Donald Trump, is to bring Trump’s America to the United Kingdom.”