MP urges BBC to play national anthem every day

Addressing the Commons, Andrew Rosindell said 2022 – the year of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – would be the ideal time for public broadcasters to once again play God Save the Queen on a daily basis.

During Culture Questions on Thursday, the Romford MP said: “I know the minister will agree that the singing of the national anthem is something that provides a great sense of unity and pride in our nation.

“So in this year of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, will the minister take steps to encourage public broadcasters to play the national anthem and ensure the BBC restores it at the end of the day’s programming before it switches to News 24?”

The call appears to have support within the Cabinet, as Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries could be heard saying “fantastic” as Mr Rosindell finished speaking.

Culture Minister Chris Philp also agreed, saying: “We fully support the signing of the national anthem, Her Majesty the Queen and other expressions of patriotism, including the flying of the Union Jack.

“The more that we hear the national anthem sung, frankly, the better. Organisations like schools are free to promote it and the more we can do in this area, the better it’ll be.”

However, the SNP leader in the Commons Pete Wishart accused the Conservative MPs of “wasting time”.

He said: “People in Scotland will find it utterly staggering that while the UK is facing a catastrophic Tory cost-of-living crisis, which the UK Government is doing the sum total of nothing to tackle, Tory MPs are wasting time attempting to force the BBC to play the national anthem on repeat.

“From April, the average family will lose £1,200 a year as a result of Tory cuts, regressive tax hikes, soaring inflation and energy bills.

“It beggars belief that the Tories are wasting time, harking back to a bygone era like a broken record, when they should be getting off their backsides and delivering support to boost household incomes, and reverse the appalling levels of poverty and inequality under Westminster control.”

Responding to a Twitter message, that quoted Mr Rosindell asking about a return of the anthem, BBC presenter Gary Lineker replied sarcastically: “Yeah, let’s be less British and more North Korean.”

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