Robert Carter

Press TV, London

Throughout the week, people across the UK including senior British politicians have been commemorating Armistice day.

The annual day of remembrance falls on November the 11th, the exact date the guns fell silent at the end of WWI. However, over the decades, the event has been used by the British state to honor all those who have fought and died in any war since 1916 including the British invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan.

A symbol which is now synonymous with Armistice day is the red poppy worn by people, including politicians, as a sign of respect for the war dead. But now, many are turning their backs on this state-recognized symbol.

Originally the poppy was a symbol to remember the so-called “war to end all wars”. This appears to no longer be the case.

Also, many now see the hypocrisy of pro-war British politicians, including those accused of war crimes, wearing the poppy.

An alternative white poppy has been adopted by some in an attempt to counter the red, which is increasingly seen on the chests of right-wing nationalists and Islamophobes, raising further questions about the symbol's true meaning.