Happy St George’s Day everyone!
What? Does that make you feel awkward? It seems to. Certainly the media can’t seem to decide what to do about the old chap. Fawn? Ignore? Wring hands? Worry? Champion?
He’s a divisive fellow you see. Not the saint himself but what he has come to stand for. I wrote recently about the differing ways in which the Irish (and anyone else who can wangle a day off) proudly celebrate St Patrick’s Day. I suspect the Welsh have similar fervour and pride about St David and the Scots about St Andrew.
Is it a case of the other nations celebrating their independence from the yoke of the English? Is that the source of pride? It is certainly harder for the “English” whatever that means post-Normans, Romans, Angles and Saxons etc to identify in this way.
Politicians will begin a land-grab around the issue today. At the time of writing this blog, no sign of Farage and UKIP (possibly got bigger fish to fry much to their annoyance) but Alex Salmond has already used the angle to present his case and David Cameron is using it as a way to win patriotic points back from UKIP and attempting to win a “no” vote on Scottish independence in the same breath.
“”More and more people are coming together on or around 23 April, eager to celebrate everything it is to be English” says Cameron but also notes one of England’s great achievements is creating the UK, a “family of nations…whose “achievements in industry, in technology, sport, music, literature and the arts” far outweigh its size.
It is a thorny subject and makes people feel very awkward, especially on the left-leaning side of the political spectrum (if one can lean on a spectrum).
According to Jon Cruddas, a close adviser to Ed Miliband, the Liberal Left should stop feeling guilty about flying the flag of St George and celebrate “Englishness” – (whatever that might be – my comment).
Mr Cruddas said: “As someone with both English and Irish roots I find it odd that we celebrate St Patrick more than St George in this country.
“There’s certainly no harm in everyone enjoying a pint of Guinness on the 17 March but why aren’t the pubs just as full on 23 April?
“There’s a bit of fear on the liberal left that waving the St George’s flag might make you look like a supporter of the English Defence League. Well it will if they’re the only ones doing it.”
I agree with Mr Cruddas from a perception/public relations point of view, in that it will remain that way if the EDL are the only ones flying the flag and celebrating but will it change? Do you care? Do you care enough?
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