I was expecting Euro 2008 to be a depressing experience with England absent, but actually I’m quite enjoying it. The performances of England’s old allies - Portugal and, in particular, Holland - have been all the more enjoyable to watch as a neutral.

As one Englishman once remarked in song, always look on the bright side of life.

WHAT’S GOOD ENOUGH FOR WALES IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR ENGLAND! - MULHOLLAND

Embargo: Immediate, Tuesday 20th May 2008

Greg Mulholland, MP for Leeds North West, has said that, after the Welsh National Anthem was played alongside God Save the Queen at Wembley at the weekend to mark the fact that Cardiff City made the final, it is time for an English anthem to mark when English teams compete internationally.

Greg has written to the Football Association to outline these views.

Commenting on the opening Greg said:

“It is rather odd that the welsh national anthem was used for a welsh team playing in the FA Cup Final, yet the English Football Association continues to ignore the obvious fact that the England football team should use an English national anthem.

“It is time this blind spot was addressed. I am all for Scotland and Wales having their own anthems and using them when appropriate, but how long must we endure England being overlooked or lazily confused with Great Britain and the UK.

“It is time English sporting associations, starting with the FA woke up to this. In 1966 England fans waved union jacks, now they proudly and correctly fly the cross of St George. “

“It is time we made the same logical step with the anthem and left God Save the Queen for its correct usage such as at the Olympics when we are competing as Great Britain or the United Kingdom”.

ENDS

The English Football Association have agreed to Welsh demands for the Welsh anthem to be sung before the FA Cup Final between Portsmouth and Cardiff City.

BBC: Soprano Katherine Jenkins will become the first person to sing the Welsh national anthem, Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, at an FA Cup final on 17 May.

There are no plans to play an English anthem. You may like to ask the FA why.

The Famagusta Gazette:

A St George’s Day celebration in London is making a stand by omitting the national anthem.

A concert at the Barbican Theatre in London will instead finish with what they think should be the English national anthem - “Jerusalem”.

The British hymn, which is based on a short poem by William Blake, is considered by many to be England’s most patriotic song.

Mark Perryman, the author of the book, Imagined Nation: England After Britain, says he thinks it’s a suitable choice.

“It’s sung by the England rugby team, it’s sung by the Women’s Institute, it’s sung by the Conservative party…the Labour party [sing it] at their conference, it’s got a universal appeal,” he said.

GIVE FANS CHANCE TO VOTE FOR ENGLISH ANTHEM FOR THIS YEAR’S RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP - MULHOLLAND

Greg Mulholland, MP for Leeds North West and Vice-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Rugby League is calling for the England Rugby League team to use an English national anthem at this year’s Rugby World Cup in Australia in autumn.

Greg has written to the Chief Executive of the Rugby Football League, Richard Lewis, saying that rugby league, as a progressive sport, should lead the way on this issue and stop the situation where England teams use the British national anthem, which is particularly strange and inappropriate when England are playing the other ‘home nations’.

Greg has also suggesting that fans could be given the chance to vote for an anthem for the England team, this could be done by way of an online poll on the Rugby Football League website.

Commenting on the proposal Greg said:

“When England is competing separately from the other home nations, it is quite wrong to use the British National Anthem. The Scotland and Wales teams will fly out to Australia with their own anthems and England needs one too.”

“I am very excited about the Rugby League World Cup in October and as an Englishman, I want the England rugby league team to head off to Australia ready to sing an England national anthem. I look forward to them doing very well out there and doing England proud.”

ENDS

To support Greg’s initiative please write to the RFL in support of the plan to give the fans a say:

Richard Lewis
Chief Executive
Rugby Football League
Red Hall
Red Hall Lane
Leeds
LS17 8NB

The full letter is available in the forum.

In the Spectator’s St George’s Day special George Bridges asks should ‘Jerusalem’ be Engerlund’s anthem?

No. ‘Jerusalem’ is not a hymn for England, still less the Little Englanders…

Yes, I can well understand why the English feel taken for granted, and that the McMafia are taking the mickey. But an English national anthem will not help. We already have a national anthem — one that celebrates the monarchy, one of the few institutions that still binds us together as a nation. Yes, it is official in so far as we call it our ‘national anthem’, but there’s no law that enshrines its status. It’s part of the wonderful jumble of unwritten customs and traditions that make our constitution. Give England an official anthem, recognised by Parliament, and before long we will begin to unstitch another seam of our not-so-green and pleasant land. You can be English and you can be angry. But if we surrender ‘Jerusalem’ to the Little Englanders, those who believe in the United Kingdom would truly cease from mental fight.

The Welsh Sports Minister, Rhodri Glyn Thomas (Plaid Cymru), wants “common sense” to prevail so that the Welsh national anthem can be played alongside God Save The Queen when Cardiff City play in the FA Cup final.

In the absence of an English Sports Minister to call for an English anthem, common sense comes in the form of Cardiff City supporter Gwyn Davies:

“There’s no prouder Welshman than me but this is not the time and the place.

“It’s not Wales v England, it’s two teams in the English FA Cup final”.

Presumably both sets of fans will join together in singing Abide with Me.

Wayne Rooney has been criticised by Bob Peedle, Vice Chairman for Royal Society of St George, for not singing the British national anthem:

“The England footballer does not show the patriotism that I see from other players.

“I can only assume that he does not know the words to the anthem and is just not prepared to learn them.

“He just stands there stern faced. He sticks-out like a saw thumb and he is setting a bad example to the young people who idolise him.

“In America, every morning in school assembly they stand with the hand on their hearts and sing their anthem, The Star Spangled Banner.

“It is about time we started doing that in this country and then people like Wayne Rooney would know the anthem as second nature.

“I imagine Rooney has never been taught the words and does not know their significance.

“He can’t be embarrassed about his singing voice. He could take a leaf out of the book of the England Rugby team who really sing the anthem with a passion.

“He should learn the anthem and not just because he represents English football but because it is the duty of every Englishman to sing the anthem.

“I’d like to see him know the word of God Save The Queen by St George’s day and I would be very happy to teach him.”

Meanwhile the Dean of Southwark Cathederal has banned the hymn Jerusalem for being ‘too nationalistic’. If Wayne Rooney and the lads sang it instead of remaining silent during God Save the Queen I might well agree.

Astonishingly the Telegraph informs us that Jerusalem is the favourite hymn of Gordon Brown.

It may have been a dismal performance overall but England finally showed some flair against Ireland, and what a prospect Danny Cipriani looks!

As you may be aware the Prime Minister’s office has stated that ‘the choice of anthem at sporting events is entirely a matter for the sport concerned’. In other words the UK Government does not want to get involved with a debate over an English anthem.

As Alfie points out Jerusalem was sung before the match at the Rugby League Grand Final between Leeds Rhinos and St Helens in October.

Today Alfie has written to the Rugby Football League to request that Jerusalem is played as the English anthem at the Rugby League World Cup 2008 in Australia.

If you would like to write in support of a particular anthem you can contact the RFL at here.