England’s missing anthem produced a narrow Yes, without producing anything like agreement on the song itself. The room’s most-respected intervention wanted a public contest that would be “fun” and puncture “elite pomposity”, a revealingly modern argument for a distinctly English symbol.
The winning side’s more traditional voices still wanted a break with the current arrangement. One called for “a proper anthem”, while another dismissed the existing song as a dirge; Jerusalem appeared repeatedly, but as a preference rather than a settled choice.
No offered a simpler case: “We have a national anthem”, alongside the warning that voters would “Never get agreement on an existing or a new song.” The two sides largely talked past each other — one debating which song might represent England, the other questioning whether another anthem was needed at all — though a No reply conceded that “wouldn't it be nice for an English one”.
The result belongs to the wider argument over whether English identity is properly expressed through British institutions. The strongest constitutional case for Yes said the shared anthem showed how “false the idea of a Union of partners” could be; on this self-selected platform, that argument carried more respect than the case for leaving things alone.
England has chosen the principle before it has chosen the tune.
11 Opinions
Personally, I believe yes. Keep God Save The King as a British Anthem and as a Royal Anthem. Something like Jerusalem sounds far better.
Never get agreement on an existing or a new song. Why Jerusalem is ever appropriate for England 'until Jerusalem is builded here" seems very odd.
Yep, Jerusalem
Leave it alone !!
Not some warbling 1930s or 1940s song, but a proper anthem. Jerusalem would be my preference, followed by Land of Hope and Glory.
The country is 51% non-religious and the anthem sounds like a dirge. I've said it should be scrapped and replaced since I was 10.
Its ridiculous that the English have no anthem of their own, and share the tune with other countries such as Lithuania and Norway. It shows how false the idea of a Union of partners is, when the English have to use the British anthem.
We are long overdue a 'Boaty McBoatface' style public poll to choose an anthem that would be fun and also puncture elite pomposity. Although, I note that the great Billy Connelly has long ago made a strong case for the theme from 'The Archers'.
We have a national anthem