UK MPs to debate new national anthem
Print Edition
Will England bid goodbye to 鈥淕od Save the Queen鈥?
British MPs agreed yesterday to consider replacing the royalist song, which is the national anthem of the United Kingdom 鈥 made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland 鈥 and is played at the Olympics and other events where the UK fields a single team.
At contests where the four areas compete separately, such as the rugby and soccer World Cups, England and Northern Ireland generally use 鈥淕od Save the Queen,鈥 but Scotland and Wales have their own official songs 鈥 鈥淔lower of Scotland鈥 and 鈥淟and of My Fathers.鈥
Labour Party lawmaker Toby Perkins said adopting an English anthem would 鈥渞e-establish the idea that the United Kingdom is a union of four separate nations with their own identities.鈥
He told the House of Commons that 鈥淛erusalem,鈥 often regarded as England鈥檚 unofficial anthem, was the obvious choice. The song, whose words are by 18th-century poet William Blake, vows to transform an England of 鈥渄ark satanic mills鈥 into a 鈥済reen and pleasant land.鈥
Opposing the motion, Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg said an English anthem would divide Britain by encouraging 鈥渋ndividual nationalisms.鈥
鈥淲hat greater pleasure can there be for a true-born Englishman or true-born Englishwoman than to listen to our own national anthem,鈥 he said.
Under Perkins鈥 proposal, 鈥淕od Save the Queen鈥 would continue to be sung at British team events. Northern Ireland could either stick with the status quo or choose its own anthem.
MPs agreed to hold a House of Commons debate in March on the bill, which calls on the government to consult the public on a new anthem.
Perkins said his own canvassing had produced suggestions including 鈥淟and Of Hope And Glory,鈥 鈥淭here'll Always Be An England鈥 鈥 and even 鈥淗eaven Knows I'm Miserable Now鈥 by The Smiths.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
