Time for an English Anthem

Scotland have one, Wales has one; why shouldn't England have one?  In today's Sunday Telegraph, I have signed a letter with British Future and others to call for an English Anthem.  This should be sung at English sporting events, just as other countries anthems are.  

If we are to maintain the Union, it is vital that the English feel that our identity is not just protected, but as proud as any other.  Lets reclaim national pride from the so-called 'nationalists'.

Personally I favour 'Jerusalem' as our English Anthem, as it is a song that politically unites both left and right, albeit for different reasons. Besides that, it is an amazing musical work.  But, I am open to suggestions.

You can read the text of the letter below:

An English anthem

SIR – When British athletes win Gold for Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics, God Save the Queen will play to celebrate. However, when it is England who take to the sporting field to play rugby or football, they should be heralded by an English anthem for an English team, just as Flower of Scotland and Land of My Fathers are sung as Scottish and Welsh anthems. 
The lack of an English national anthem can lead to complaints about a lack of fair play, while treating the British national anthem as if it belongs to England undermines an equal claim to British identity and the allegiance of other nations within the United Kingdom. An English anthem would show symbolically that pride in our national identities is no barrier to being proud to be British too.
We would like to see an English anthem used when England play France in their first game in this summer’s Euro 2012 football tournament. This St George’s Day is an ideal moment for the proud and inclusive majority in our country to speak up. It would strengthen the case that the fringe extremists of the English Defence League, who would tear England apart, have no real claim to St George’s flag.  An English anthem for the talented, diverse teams that represent us on the sporting field would help modern patriotic pride to defeat prejudice.

Sunder Katwala,  Director, British Future,  Robert Halfon MP (Con),  David Lammy MP (Labour),  Greg Mulholland MP (Lib Dem),  Rob Berkeley Director Runnymede Trust,  Baroness Berridge (Con), Phillip Blond Director, ResPublica,  Mihir Bose,  Jon Cruddas MP (Lab),  Iain Dale,  David Goodhart,  Director, Demos,  Paul Goodman Co-editor, ConservativeHome,  Sunny Hundal, Editor, Liberal Conspiracy,  Guy Lodge,  Associate Director, IPPR,  Rachael Jolley Editorial director, British Future,  Dr Andrew Mycock Huddersfield University,  Prof Tariq Modood Bristol University,  Max Wind-Cowie,  Head of Progressive Conservatism Project, Demos,  Gareth Young, Our Kingdom 

VIDEO: ITV Anglia praise Burnt Mill School

ITV Anglia recently made a short documentary about one of our local schools - Burnt Mill - which has really turned around in recent years.

This is because Helena Mills the headteacher has helped to DOUBLE the number of pupils getting five good GCSEs (including Maths and English) - from 27% to 56%.

These results are truly outstanding. They are credit to Helena, and to all the teachers and staff at the school. You can see the full video HERE.

by Robert Halfon - Working Hard for Harlow.

UPDATE: getting to grips with immigration

UK net migration since 1991.

In the 1990s, net immigration into Britain was in the tens of thousands. But under Labour, it rocketed and kept rising.

In towns like Harlow, this led to widespread concern and public anxiety about immigration. What happened in the Labour years is now well-known. In the boom decade, the number of people employed in the UK economy increased by 2.9 million. But 1.6 million of the jobs were taken by foreign workers. That is why many of our young people face unemployment today.

I am clear about this: The Government MUST make immigration work for ordinary British people. That is why I welcome what Ministers are doing, to get to grips with Labour's chaos. Strong action is now being taken to sort out the mess across the whole immigration system.

This Conservative-led Government is:

• Capping economic migration from parts of Europe, and the rest of the world. 
• Reforming student visas.
• Shutting bogus colleges. 
• Bringing in a Border Police Force.
• Introducing a tough English Language test.

In time, this action will reduce net immigration down to the lower levels of the 1990s, and also help to confront the horror of forced marriage.

This is essential. But we must do more than that. Immigration must also be positive: about attracting the small number of top-class people who will benefit Britain, people who help boost growth and jobs in towns like Harlow. We need top of the range professionals, surgeons, investors, footballers, technical specialists, entrepreneurs and exceptional artists and scientists. That is the kind of immigration system that I want to see.

by Robert Halfon MP - Working Hard for Harlow.

Celebrating St George's day

Most Saturdays, I go around Harlow campaigning and yesterday was no exception. A team of us, were out and about in Broadwalk, in advance of St George's Day on Thursday 23 April. We were handing out special St George's day cards and posters, which were so popular, thousands were given out over a few hours.

I passionately believe that St George's Day, should be a public holiday, and to this end, I am also delivering a St George's Day Card to every home in Harlow and the surrounding villages of Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon and Sheering. The Card has a tear-off slip/petition form, which invites people to sign a petition and send it back to me. If, as expected, we get a good response, we plan to present the Petition in Westminster.

What was great about our efforts on Saturday, was not just the popularity of the St George's Day materials, but that they were taken, with great enthusiasm, by young and old alike. It is wonderful that there is a renewed sense of English Indentity, that everyone is so proud to be English, and not ashamed to celebrate it. After all, as one local resident said to me in Broadwalk "everyone else celebrates their special days, why shouldn't the English be allowed to as well". I heartily agree.

If I don't see you before, Very happy St George's Day for 23 April.

P.S. Have a look at this site for some great downloads.

Rob Halfon ~ Working hard for Harlow, Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon & Sheering. http//roberthalfon.blogspot.com