Labour Council Bans St George’s Day Parade
Labour-run Sandwell Council has withdrawn all funding for a St George’s Day parade over concerns it might attract “far right” elements.
Presumably they mean Tories and members of the Armed Forces.
The organisers had planned to invite Gurkha soldiers to the event. TheEye is proud to be involved with a Gurkha charity – many have fought and died bravely for this country – and is thus even more disgusted by this turn of events.
Sandwell Council officers have apparently been scouring photographs to spot if local BNP activists have attended the parade in the past. It’s a pathetic attempt to reverse-justify the decision. Maybe they did. Maybe they didn’t. That’s hardly the point.
Conservative-run Calderdale Council has a better idea for April 23rd; events including a fireworks display and an activity day for schoolchildren with flag-making and shield-making.
The plans include a St George’s Festival at the Piece Hall on the weekend of April 25th and 26th, with a re-enactment of the story of St George, events, storytelling and crafts for children and young people and a themed market. A red and white themed fireworks display on Beacon Hill if you can survive the cold. School children are going to design their own flags and shields and parade them around an athletics track.
There will also be a selection of English films showing at Hebden Bridge Picture House (although to be fair these should probably carry a health warning of potentially being rubbish).
You’ll get free admission to a chance to letch at girls in swimsuits Council pools and a chance to letch at girls in leotards fitness activities if you wear a St George’s cross, for example on a T-shirt or by carrying a flag.
Can you imagine St. Andrews Day or St. Patricks Day or St. WhoeverTheyHaveInWales Day being sidelined by a Labour council in the same way as Sandwell Council are doing?
Typical England-bashing behaviour by another Labour Council. Unbelieveable. (Or acutally, not so!)
Are there many Labour councils left ?
Hopefully one less after this news gets around.
Our kids know more about hindu culture than english culture now. My kids could not answer a question about jack-o-lantern or any may-day stuff, but could quote chapter & verse on bloody diwally
I am abso-fucking-lutely fucking speech-fucking-less.
That is all.
I would just like to point out that the withdrawal of public funding is not as unpopular in West Bromwich as many seem to make out – its seems to be annoying more non locals! The parade – and its hard to describe it as that, its a rally that was co-opted by the council – its a nuisance for many along the route with its anti-social behaviour and nasty BNP undertones. You may not know but they had a part in setting it up.
SMBC is by no means a good council, but credit where credit is due, it does its bit for St Georges Day – a party in the park, a concert at the Town Hall and the flag of St George flown from every public building.