STRAIGHT TALKING

THE sight of thousands of Liverpool supporters walking out early at Anfield in protest at new ticket prices was a sad one – but also one to admire.

The idea that someone should have to pay £77 to watch a 90-minute football match in one of the country’s most deprived areas is obscene.

Reds boss Jurgen Klopp – who faced a similar protest while managing previous German club Borussia Dortmund – seems to get it, even if his bosses at Fenway Sports Group initially did not.

I know the idea is to boost revenue and so presumably do better in the Premier League.

But Liverpool fans are a savvy lot. And this is no way to treat them. SIX Nations rugby always sparks another, non-sporting debate away from the field of play.

Much has already been talked about the idea of England having its own national anthem.

It’s been suggested that God Save the Queen, the national anthem for the whole of the United Kingdom, be dropped for England sporting events.

Suggestions for a replacement include songs like Jerusalem, or Land of Hope and Glory.

Wales has Land of My Fathers, while north of the border there is Flower of Scotland.

It seems only fair and logical, then, that England should maybe have one of its own too.

But if that anthem is to be an expression of “Englishness”, why aren’t politicians debating something of greater importance and of far more relevance – an English parliament? vote on matters that only relate to England.

UKIP went one further and actually posted letters to all 59 Scottish MPs asking them to abstain voluntarily from debates and votes in the House of Commons that only concern the English.

It all sounded perfectly fair. I cannot see why Scottish MPs have the right to vote on issues such as education and health in England, when English MPs can’t vote on those same issues in Scotland because they’re decided by the Scottish Parliament.

Now, I never wanted devolution in the first place. I thought the United Kingdom was getting along just fine and didn’t need a Scottish Parliament, a Welsh Assembly or indeed a Northern Irish Assembly.

And where would this new English parliament reside? London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle?

Which is probably why Cameron has pretty much said nothing about it ever since.

It’s all very well debating what song to sing at a sportiung event, but when it comes to the bigger picture Cameron and the rest of Westminster have gone missing.

Oh, and me personally for an English anthem? It has to be Jerusalem, doesn’t it?