Comedian David Baddiel has weighed into the controversy surrounding “Rule, Britannia!” and branded the song a “c***’s anthem”.
With the BBC announcing that the lack of live audience means both “Rule, Britannia!” and “Land of Hope and Glory” will not be sung at the 2020 Proms, a debate has re-emerged regarding the songs and their links to slavery and colonialism.
One vocal supporter of the songs is Nigel Farage, who shared a video of himself singing the ballad on social media while encouraging his followers to “stick two fingers up to the BBC”.
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Reposting the Brexit Party leader’s video on Wednesday (26 August), Baddiel tweeted: “There might be some who feel a little sad about ‘Rule, Britannia’, seeing it, now divorced of triumphalist origins, only as a Proms tradition.
“Watching this however makes it clear how it’s still basically a C***’s Anthem,” he continued.
The comedian later took specific aim at Farage, explaining: “Really, the gentlemen in this particular video could be singing ‘Three Lions’ and I’d think much the same thing.”
The songs will be performed at the Last Night of the Proms this year, but with an orchestra rather than vocal performance. They will be sung at next year’s event.
A BBC spokesperson said: “We obviously share the disappointment of everyone that the Proms will have to be different but believe this is the best solution in the circumstances and look forward to their traditional return next year.”
The news came after prime minister Boris Johnson called for an end to “self-recrimination and wetness” over British history.