Labour's Shadow Culture Secretary slammed for 'political correctness' after claiming Rule Britannia 'alienates' many Britons

Labour's Shadow Culture Secretary slammed for 'political correctness' after claiming Rule Britannia 'alienates' many Britons

Rule Britannia: 'the glue which binds us together' | Mark Dolan defends patriotism

GBNEWS
Millie Cooke

By Millie Cooke


Published: 04/03/2024

- 12:52

Updated: 04/03/2024

- 16:26

The Shadow Culture Secretary was accused of having 'very little pride in Britain'

Shadow Culture Secretary Thangam Debbonaire has been criticised after claiming Rule, Britannia! is "alienating" to many Britons.

She welcomed a "good debate" about the decision to perform the anthem at the Last Night of the Proms.


While she said she would leave any verdict on whether or not to play it to the BBC, she admitted the song is "not my favourite bit of music".

Rule, Britannia! has been criticised for its associations with slavery and colonialism.

Thangam Debbonaire

Shadow Culture Secretary Thangam Debbonaire has been criticised after claiming Rule, Britannia! is "alienating" to many Britons

PA

Tory MP Philip Davies told the Telegraph Debbonaire's remarks are a "sneak preview of the political correctness that we’d be likely to see from a Labour government", accusing her of having "very little pride in Britain".

He said: "Rule, Britannia! is an integral part of the Last Night of the Proms. Without things like Rule, Britannia!, what on earth is the point of it?

“I think this just gives everyone a sneak preview of the political correctness that we’d be likely to see from a Labour government and one that basically has very little pride in Britain and its history and its tradition.”

Giles Watling, Tory MP for Clacton and a member of the House of Commons culture committee said: "Rule, Britannia! is traditional and people should be able to perform whatever they like.

"I agree to a great extent that politicians shouldn’t interfere in what people do culturally.

"But we also mustn’t be prescriptive about certain forms of performance unless, and it is a big unless, it promotes hate and division. We should be less jumpy about these things."

Cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason last month argued the anthem should be cut from the Last Night of the Proms because it makes "a lot of people” feel “uncomfortable".

Asked about the remarks, Debbonaire told the Spectator: "It’s not my favourite bit of music. And the Proms is a fantastic institution and it’s the world’s greatest music festival…

"I think it’s a decision for the people who run the Proms and again, like I said, it shouldn’t be politicians who tell people how to run cultural events.

"I think for a lot of people that feels like a very sort of British moment, which I think has to be respected as well, but for a lot of people, as Sheku Kenneh-Mason said, it will feel alienating.

"As I want the Proms – I want culture – to be accessible to everyone, I think it’s a good debate for us to be having."

You may like