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‘Ridicule’ led to UK Government u-turn on ‘One Britain One Nation’ day

17 Nov 2021 2 minute read
A weathered UK flag. CC0 Public Domain.

Internal documents show that the UK Government u-turned on backing this year’s ‘One Britain One Nation Day’ due to “ridicule” in the press and a “Twitter frenzy”.

Nation.Cymru revealed on 22 June that the UK Government wanted school children across Wales to sing a ‘We are Britain’ anthem as part of an event that would teach them about the UK’s “shared values”.

The ‘One Britain One Nation’ day on June 25th would have included singing the song “We are Britain and we have one dream to unite all people in one Great Team”.

The Department for Education said at the time: “We’re encouraging schools across the UK to celebrate One Britain One Nation Day on 25 June, when children can learn about our shared values of tolerance, kindness, pride and respect.”

However internal emails released to the Sunday National newspaper in Scotland suggest that No 10 Downing Street performed a hasty U-turn when the press got hold of the story.

The new documents show how special advisers were “keen for DfE [to] support and promote OBON Day” after a May meeting between a government official and its founder and CEO Kash Singh.

However, by 23 June No 10 was briefing to ministers to that the event had attracted “ridicule” and that they should tell journalists that the Government hadn’t provided any funding amid a “Twitter frenzy”.

By 25 July the First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, said that the ‘One Britain One Nation’ day did succeed in uniting the UK – “in people laughing”.

At this Covid press conference, he said that he was in favour of the United Kingdom but did not believe that the best way to make the case for it was through “flag-waving and song singing”.

“I want to case for UK made strongly,” he said. “But the way the UK Government go about it minimises real case.  It relies on a flag waving approach that simply doesn’t work.”


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GW Atkinson
GW Atkinson
2 years ago

Small Minded Nationalistic Cringe Day.

SundanceKid
SundanceKid
2 years ago

This was something the Third Reich would have been proud of.

Kerry Davies
Kerry Davies
2 years ago
Reply to  SundanceKid

Don’t over-react. Kash Singh, a retired scuffer from oop north, founded One Britain One Nation having founded the British Indian Association/Foundation in 2012 on retirement. In 2018 the BIF chose as it’s Indian man of the year one Kash Singh, former scuffer from oop north.
Fair dues to a man who came to the UK as a 6 year old with no English at all, he really does have the gift of the gab but the Third Reich were a lot more efficient and effective.

Richard 1
Richard 1
2 years ago
Reply to  Kerry Davies

what’s a scuffer?

defaid
defaid
2 years ago
Reply to  Richard 1

Copper.

Barry Pandy
Barry Pandy
2 years ago

It should have been “Kingdom, Nation One Britain” or KNOB.

Gareth
Gareth
2 years ago

At one time, the press, media and the Tory party would point at events like this, in places like North Korea, and ridicule them. These days, as they slip further into the far right mire, they now embrace and encourage such events, and offer UK Gov cash to assist them, only for them to draw mockery and incredulity from the people these things are aimed at.What a sorry state of affairs eminating from the propaganda unit in Westminster .

Harry
Harry
2 years ago
Reply to  Gareth

Far Right mire? Surely a Socialist Left One Party State?
Hahaha, labels, labels, labels.

Rob
Rob
2 years ago

Fighting Welsh and Scottish nationalism with British nationalism is like fighting fire with fire.

People voted Tory because they were put off by Jeremy Corbyn’s ‘far left policies’, yet we have a government borrowing tactics from a communist country.

If you want to save this Union then start treating the UK for what it is meant to me. A union of four different nations, NOT an extension of England.

Gwyn Williams
Gwyn Williams
2 years ago
Reply to  Rob

But it’s never been an union of 4 different nations, it’s intention has always been to extend England so that all else becomes irrelevant and insignificant.

Mr Williams
Mr Williams
2 years ago

‘One Britain One Nation’ day did succeed in uniting the UK – “in people laughing”. I couldn’t agree more.

Aled Rees
Aled Rees
2 years ago

Who the hell do they think they are kidding.But having said that I’m afraid wales has many little englanders within our borders and unfortunately some of them are welsh ‘cachgwn’.

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