Greg Mulholland, the Liberal Democrat MP for Leeds North West, has put down an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons calling for the dropping of God Dave The Queen prior to games involving English national sporting teams and the adoption of a new, more 'English' national anthem.
So far, so sensible. But Andrew Rosindell, Conservative MP for Romford, has put down an amendment to the motion, calling for God Save The Queen to be retained when England play against "foreign" sides, but a new anthem to be introduced for games against the other home nations.
Interestingly, he adds "Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should do likewise" - meaning Wales would not get to play Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau prior to games against other British sides. Leaving aside the unlikely notion that Welsh rugby crowds would take kindly to singing God Save The Queen prior to a Six Nations clash against England, one wonders what Mr Rosindell's colleagues in the all-new 'more Welsh' Conservative Party would make of it.
Alwyn ap Huw wrote...
You've got the wrong end of the stick here. Andrew Rosindell's suggestion is that the new English Anthem, should be used in Wales v England Matches. Land of my Fathers is ok when facing Scotland, Australia, New Zealand or any other country that has the misfortune of sharing the Queen with us.
Its only when we play countries such as France, Argentina or Italy, which had the dreaded misfortune of never being part of the British Empire that we should all rally round the old God Save 'ersong
Posted by: Alwyn ap Huw | April 29, 2007 5:13 AM