The National:

NUMBER 10 Downing Street has had its head-to-toe covering of England flags taken down.

One of the Union's key seats of power had been decked out in the St George's Cross ahead of England's Euro 2020 final against Italy – which ended in a penalty shoot-out defeat for Gareth Southgate's squad.

It's been quite the competition for Union Jackery in its many forms. Boris Johnson had already faced widespread mocking for trampling all over a giant England flag – an appropriate piece of symbolism, some might say.

READ MORE: Boris Johnson provokes Twitter storm with giant English flag photoshoot

Although not directly related to Euro 2020, the competition did also coincide with a petition in Wales racking up thousands of signatures in opposition to an eight-storey Union Jack at the William Morgan building in Cardiff, planned to house civil servants from several UK Government departments.

READ MORE: Cardiff's Ty William Morgan to get eight-storey tall Union flag

Now, after leaving Wembley empty-handed, the latest flurry of England flags has been removed.

So, to recap the timeline a little… The Tories started by refusing to condemn those who booed the England team for taking the knee against racism.

Then, seeing that the team was actually in with a shot of success, U-turned and went all in with their England merchandise.

Now, less than 24 hours after defeat, the flags are away and the squad are having to deal with the type of racism stoked up by Tory policies such as the hostile environment.

And what one Tory MP said in private, as leaked this morning, feels quite revealing...