It didn’t take long for one of our Greater Manchester MP’s in Jeremy Corbyn’s new cabinet to cause a small rumpus.
It was Kate Green, MP for Stretford and Urmston who, on the Radio Four today programme decided to comment on the non singing of the national anthem by the new Labour leader at a Battle of Britain event.
Many of this morning’s papers rounded on Mr Corbyn, who, it said, was bowing his head in quiet contemplation rather than rousing his vocal cords to the battle strains of our anthem.
As many rushed to condemn, reminding Jeremy that the anthem was not merely an appreciation of their Royal majesties but an indication of your fervour, Kate Green told the BBC that in future her ieader would be indeed the anthem and that he absolutely stands
“with and respects everybody who has fought, who has lost their life, been wounded in fighting oppressions and defending our freedoms. For many people, the monarchy, singing the national anthem is a way of showing that respect. I think it would have been appropriate and right and respectful of people’s feelings to have done so.”
She added: “It will have offended and hurt people.”
She was not alone, Lord Falconer, and Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Seema Malhotra rushed to his defence as a patriot while on the other side, Conservative MP Sir Nicholas Soames and grandson of Sir Winston Churchill, accused the Labour leader of being “rude” to the Queen and being “very disrespectful to the Battle of Britain pilots who gave their all”.
So have Kate won the prize for causing the first shadow cabinet split especially after going onto defend the benefit cap as her leader had just Hoyt’s earlier told the TUC he wanted to abolish it?
