Let us have a national anthem for the English 

Shrewsbury MP, Daniel Kawczynski, has launched an Early Day Motion calling on Parliament to promote Jerusalem as the English national anthem.

For too long now England’s sporting teams have had to stand through God Save the Queen before matches and put up with ignorant commentators calling it the English national anthem – something that is increasingly irritating our neighbours.

Let’s just get is absolutely clear – God Save the Queen is the British national anthem, not the English national anthem.

In fact, to be totally accurate, it is the British royal anthem and national anthem by convention only as there has never been an Act of Parliament confirming it as a national anthem.

There are often letters in the Star criticising our sporting stars for no singing God Save the Queen.  I ask: why should they?  They are representing England, not Britain.

Before the Commonwealth Games, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport received many petitions for Jerusalem to be used as the English national anthem.

There have been a number of polls asking which song should be the English national anthem and every one comes up with the same answer – Jerusalem.

Instead of choosing a song that English people want they chose Land of Hope and Glory – another British royal anthem.  It isn’t even an English song.

The English cricket team has recently adopted Jerusalem as its anthem but the English FA and English rugby team refuse to use anything other than God Save the Queen.  So far EDM 2791 has been signed by the following Shropshrie MP’s: Daniel Kawczynski, David Wright, Derek Conway.

Please write to your MP and ask them to support EDM 2791 if they haven’t yet done so.

Stuart Parr
Telford