TIME FOR AN ENGLISH NATIONAL ANTHEM SAYS MULHOLLAND

6.40.00pm GMT Wed 25th Mar 2009

Greg Mulholland, MP for Leeds North West has tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) in Parliament calling for the establishment of an English national anthem and clarity in the use of the British national anthem "God save the Queen".

The EDM supports a proposal for a "Team GB" football team to compete in the 2012 Olympics, and highlights the fact that if such a team truly represents the whole of the United Kingdom; it should rightly use the British national anthem. Greg noted that the use of "God save the Queen" by the English national football team is blurring the concept of Britishness.

Commenting on the EDM, Greg said that:

"Failure to accurately distinguish between 'English' and 'British' through inaccurate use of the British national anthem undermines the concept of the nation as a whole.

"It is therefore highly desirable to establish a separate English national anthem for use by English teams such as the England football team, as already exists for Wales and Scotland. This would ensure clarity when the British national anthem is used, for example by the 'Team GB' football team in the 2012 Olympics"