BANNED OF HOPE AND GLORY? OUR LAST NIGHT DELIGHT
New BBC boss lauded for bringing back Rule Britannia singing – after Mail campaign
THE BBC yesterday performed a humiliating U-turn and brought back the singing of Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory at Last Night of the Proms.
In his first major intervention as director-general, Tim Davie – on only his second day in the job – overturned the hugely controversial decision to play only instrumental versions.
The broadcaster put out a shock statement at lunchtime announcing there would now be a ‘select group of BBC Singers’ performing the songs. It added: ‘We hope everyone will welcome this solution.’
It followed huge public outcry at the revelation last week – when Tony Hall was still director-general – that there would be ‘new orchestral versions’. The decision came after controversy surrounding the songs’ alleged historical links with colonialism and slavery. Yesterday, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said he was pleased ‘common sense has prevailed’.
Downing Street said Boris Johnson – who had accused the BBC of ‘wetness’ – ‘welcomes the decision’. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer added: ‘It is the right decision.’
A poll for the Daily Mail last week found that 59 per cent of Britons believed the broadcaster was in the wrong over the row, rising to 80 per cent among over-65s.
There was praise for Mr Davie, with former Tory minister David Mellor saying: ‘Well done him.’
A senior BBC executive called the U-turn ‘sensible and unsurprising’, and said if Mr Davie, 53, had been in charge earlier ‘this would have been the original decision’.
Mr Davie’s swift and decisive action is being seen as a statement of intent that he wants to tackle concerns that the BBC is dominated by ‘woke’ Left-wing politics.
He told staff on his first day on Tuesday that the BBC must represent ‘every part of this country’.
In its surprise statement yesterday, a BBC Proms spokesman said: ‘The pandemic means a different Proms this year and one of the consequences, under Covid-19 restrictions, is we are not able to bring together massed voices.
‘For that reason we took the artistic decision not to sing Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory in the [Royal Albert] Hall.
‘We have been looking hard at what else might be possible and we have a solution. Both pieces will now include a select group of BBC Singers.
‘This means the words will be sung in the Hall, and as we have always made clear, audiences will be free to sing along at home.’
The statement added: ‘ While it can’t be a full choir, and we are unable to have audiences in the Hall, we are doing everything possible to make it special and want a Last Night truly to remember.
‘We hope everyone will welcome this solution. We think the night itself will be a very special moment for the country – and one that is much needed after a difficult period for everyone.
‘It will not be a usual Last Night, but it will be a night not just to look forward to, but to remember.’
Musicians are playing live, without an audience because of coronavirus restrictions, for the final two weeks of the season. It concludes with the traditional Last Night.
The change in policy was warmly welcomed yesterday by the many critics of the earlier move.
Nigel Farage, leader of the Brexit Party, said: ‘ This just shows the power of public pressure and how hopelessly out of touch the BBC are with their own licence fee payers.’
Rob Butler, the Conservative MP for Aylesbury, said: ‘ I’m very pleased indeed. This should never have been in doubt.’
Actor Laurence Fox tweeted: ‘You are all amazing! They have to listen if we speak loud enough.’
Lord Hall previously said it was a ‘creative’ decision to remove the lyrics. But he confirmed that the issue of dropping songs because of their association with Britain’s imperial past had been discussed.
‘Sensible and unsurprising’