Apparently the Mayor is "supporting" various Saint George's Day events and celebrations.
Is this a genuine reflection of popular support for the Patron Saint of England (and Georgia, and Moscow and other places), or is this political manipulation, again ?
The Trafalger Square "event" has creepy overtones of something that could have been organised by Nicolae Ceauşescu's Securitate in Romania e.g. political slogans backed up by thousands of human drones holding up placards, to form a large scale mosaic displays.
" St George's Day in Trafalgar SquareMake England Proud: celebrating diversity and opposing racism
10am-3pm
The Mayor is inviting the general public, sporting heroes and sports fans to participate in a national initiative to celebrate St George's Day.
To make a clear statement to the world that England is a nation opposed to racism and that London is the ideal home for the 2012 Olympic Games, thousands of pictures are being gathered of the public and celebrities shot against a white or a red background. These images will be assembled into a large cross of St George, displayed in Trafalgar Square for one day only on St George's Day.
The final few images needed to complete the flag will be taken live in Trafalgar Square and you are invited to central London to have your picture taken and join this important initiative to stamp out racism for good."
Since this is obviously also an Olympic Bid promotion event, how much money is coming from their budget, or is it all being paid for by London taxpayers ?
Does anyone seriously think that "racism" will actually be reduced by this "clear statement to the world" ? Who exactly in London, let alone the rest of England, was consulted on this "statement" allegedly being made on their behalf ?
Neither the (Byzantine) Saint George nor the Cross of Saint George Flag, should be allowed to be abused by politicans, nor by commercial vested interests, nor by the Mayor of London Ken Livingstone for his own agenda.
What's it got to do with racism, I would like to know?
Why shouldn't England celebrate its culture and history on its Patron Saints Day?
Many of my friends have gone to London for the weekend specifically for this event, so its certainly good for the tourism industry. If I wasn't working today I would be there, too.
Happy St George's Day England and to all English all over the world as well
One positive point comes out of this for us English. Mr Livingstone agrees that the English are not racist and that England is a nation. Is he the first member of the Labour Party to make such an admission? Hopefully John Prescott and his cohorts will read that and take action to allow England to have the offices of a proud and democratic nation ie an English Parliament and English Executive. Perhaps the Dept for Culture Media and Sport will also agree with this and allow the flag of St. George to fly above the Houses of Parliament in London.
How would the extra couple of layer of bureaucracy of an English Parliament and English Executive, do anything other than waste even more of our money and slow down decision making even further, just like the Greater London Assembly ?
John Prescott is unlikely, if/when re-elected, to power, to want to repeat the heavy defeat of his North East Regional Assembly plan.
Surely the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has no say in what flags are flown at the Palace of Westminster, that is a matter for the various internal, unaccountable committees that run the place ?
Oh, Derek Dear, an English Parliament need not create an extra layer of bureaucracy, or waste more money.
For a start, we could get rid of all Brussel's/Prescott's unelected and unwanted Regional Assemblies, which are all still operating at the taxpayers' expense.
We could then get rid of all the Scottish, Welsh and Irish MPs from Westminster and cut off the supply of money from England being handed over to their countries.
No doubt those three countries would still want to be joined to England for certain things, like defence and so they could pay into a common pot.
I am sure others could add to the list of savings we might make, or will make, when an English Parliament is up and running.
Red Ken, putting the national back into socialism.
New Labour - putting the national back into socialism.
Does anyone seriously think that "racism" will actually be reduced by this "clear statement to the world" ?
Yes thanks, I do.
Really ? By how much do you think that racism has been reduced, as a result of the Saint George's Day event in Trafalagar Square ?
I see no difference at all.