In the great scheme of things, Jeremy Corbyn’s choice of headwear is insignificant. Despite his penchant for Lenin chic, media outlets have been awash lately with stories of conspiracy theories when Newsnight was vilified for portraying Jezza in front of a ‘Soviet Style’ studio backdrop. The venom only abated somewhat when it was pointed out that the Tory defence minister was plonked in front of the same scenery on a previous edition. The debate has now moved on to allegations that the hat had been photoshopped. Those defending Corbyn’s honour are in full virtue signal mode as they feel ‘wronged’ and ‘extremely offended’. That’s when I turned off and dropped out as I had more important activity with which to pass the time, and the hamster cages were in desperate need of a deep clean.

Virtue signalling is rife and is mistakenly seen as a new concept. Pre-fatherhood, when I could go out and play big boys' games with wanton abandon on a Saturday afternoon, I was quite partial to a live football match. I would frequent, season ticket in hand, the hallowed Underhill, former home of the mighty Barnet FC. A thoroughly enjoyable episode in my life, we would laugh and cry, but mainly cry, as we watched, grimacing, the semi-pro plumbers attempt to outwit all comers despite lacking lashings of natural talent. It was at a Bees game that I first became aware of the ‘Kick Racism out of football’ campaign. Now, no doubt, we buy in to the concept. Racism is unacceptable in any arena, and football just happened to be the vehicle on which the campaign hung their flag.

As children and adults paraded around the pitch holding a banner as a form of half time infotainment, I couldn’t help but think what’s the point of it? Now, bear with me before you become incandescent with rage: There are racists and there are non-racists. Now, imagine you are of the Alf Garnett school of thought and you go to a football match. You will have had generations of pre-ordained mindset drummed into you. You walk into the football one rainy autumnal day and see those signs for a fleeting moment in time. What do you think? "I’ve been a racist for 50 years, but thanks to that sign, I will cease to persist in my racist ways and invite my Somali neighbours over for a spot of lunch tomorrow." I doubt it, and believe this was one of the first forms of virtue signalling to enter the public domain. Honourable intent, lousily executed.

If it changes nothing, why do it? All I can think is that it makes the protester feel better about themselves, to feel as if they are at least doing something and something is better than nothing. Conversely, it can have the opposite effect. Adults can feel patronised and disengage even more, even potentially fuelling latent thoughts of racism, transgenderism or any other type of ism due to the nature in which the message is put across, coupled with the message itself.

People virtue signal with groups, yes, but products also. I have a friend who will buy the latest phone, no matter how shoddy the previews. He gloats in showing it off once in his possession and finds a way to shoehorn the new phone into each conversation for a given period of time. I have no interest, yet the desperation to be noticed through buying more consumerist crap marks him out as a virtue signaller of the highest order.

I don’t want to be preached to. I don’t want to have decency shoved down my throat: Are the kick racism out campaigners really bothered about kicking racism out — personally, I have not heard a racist comment at the football since I watched Hastings United in 1982 — or do they really want to shout that they, like most decent-minded people, are not racist?

If you are so minded, you can spend a weekend virtue signal spotting. Look at social media, listen to politicians who ‘want’ to fund X, Y and Z with money we don’t have, go on a march or watch paint dry by joining Twitter. It is self-aggrandisement, vanity and feelgood rolled into one. By putting the emphasis on challenging ‘hate’, the signaller is really shouting 'Look at what a nice person I am!’. It is shallow, empty and has rapidly become tiresome and dull. As for me, I am currently in contact with Vistaprint, who are knocking up a 'Kick Virtue Signallers out of football’ banner. I plan to do a ‘good natured’ pitch invasion at an upcoming Barnet game. I’m not sure when, but I will require patience, as that is the only virtue I need.