Culture minister Margaret Hodge is under fire for saying the Promenade Concerts are not inclusive enough for today’s multi-cultural Britain.
A glance around the Royal Albert Hall on the Last Night as the Union Jacks are waving to the lusty roar of ”Land of Hope and Glory” might appear to back up her point, although her critics have been quick to stress that the season as a whole includes a wide variety of music from other parts of the world.
Gordon Brown’s office was quick to distance itself from her remarks and even said they were not meant to be an attack on the Proms.
The fuss seems to be potentially more damaging to Hodge than to the future of the Proms, but do you think she has a point?
Is there really any place for jingoistic displays of patriotism in the modern era?
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12 comments so far
I wholly support inclusion and integration but I also support the protection of independence, culture and tradition. It seems to me that too many unnecessary and unhelpful demands are being made of the English, Scottish and Welsh. Whilst all other Countries are proud to maintain their particular traditions and culture, Britain is being asked to sacrifice everything in the name of multi-culturism, to the extent that the indigenous population are the ones who feel totally excluded and without identity. Land of Hope and Glory is just another instance……
- Posted by ElizabethMs. Hodge is breathtaking in her arrogance. The Proms have been instrumental over many years in popularising classical music of all kinds, both to radio listeners and to those who make the trek to the Albert Hall. Classical music may be a minority taste, but the audience is still huge, as is evidenced by the popularity of radio stations which play nothing else.
- Posted by Alex HurstOK - the last night may lean towards a bit of traditional patriotic fun, but I get the feeling that’s probably the only concert that Ms. Hodge has ever watched. Long may this wonderful, and very inclusive, series continue.
Her comments are utterly ridiculous, it is a specific event for a certain type of music for certain types of people.
Why must everything we know that is reasonably British be ebbed away for the inclusion of others. We allow and support and also enjoy many other events which are multi-cultural but why should we make “EVERYTHING” multicultural just so EVERYONE enjoys it????
In short, not everyone will enjoy everything that everyone else does, that’s life, get over it.
- Posted by GraemeI agree with everyone -
- Posted by tim price- call the proms a minority or sub-culture event and it’ll all be alright on the night - relax and enjoy; if you want to. Or, do as you like so long as it harms no-one else (thank you Wiccans).
We can only appreciate the culture of others if we do take pride in our own culture. The proms are part of what makes us British and should remain so.
- Posted by Lloney MononoI expect she would like to see the singing of “Land of Hope and Glory” replaced by Labour’s “Red Flag” to suit her party’s grubby and alien philosophy. Use your vote and turn these nasty little people out at the first opportunity.
- Posted by Mike TThis is very silly. I’ve no interest in the Proms, but I’ve no problem with that. The proms aren’t particularly inclusive, but so what? What they are is very white, middle-class, i.e. very much like… Margaret Hodge.
- Posted by DaveHow dare she! Have the indigenous people of Britain NO right any more to retain their (already marginal) traditions? It is we who are now excluded and feel that we have no right to identity. I am British. Let me express that in my own country!
- Posted by TomA day is coming where we’ll try so hard to include minorities that there’ll be nothing to include them in.
- Posted by Matthew DoreHow inclusive is Glastonbury to someone who is a fan of Classical music? Just because a high profile event doesn’t cater for everyone doesn’t mean that it is intentionally snubbing one group or another.
- Posted by McShabbyDoes this mean that every time there is an event organised by a non-English culture that white English people can automatically have a slot on stage to show our multicultural nature?
She seems to be the only mad cow that has not been incinerated by this increasingly incompetent government.
- Posted by Nick RileyI’m happy to drop the Proms, as soon as they drop the Mobo awards, Notting Hill carnival, etc.
- Posted by PC