St George’s Day ‘party’ should be more inclusive, says thinktank
FEWER than half of ethnic minorities feel that St George’s Day celebrations bring people together equally, new research last week revealed.
Only 39 per cent of ethnic minority respondents agreed that a St George’s Day party belonged equally to people of every race and ethnic background today, analysis by integration thinktank British Future last Friday (23) said.
In contrast, white respondents felt more confident that St George’s Day was an occasion for an equal celebration, with 54 per cent agreeing the day belonged to all communities.
Findings from the poll, coincide with the patron published saint day to of
England, found that 56 per cent of minorities believed doing more to ensure ethnic groups were invited to take part in St George’s Day celebrations “would be a positive way to foster a shared identity in England today”. Just eight per cent of ethnic minorities disagreed.
More needs to be done to make St George’s Day an occasion that brings people together across England, British Future said about its findings.
Director Sunder Katwala said that “we needed to ensure that everyone feels invited to the party”.
“We’re going in the right direction. English identity is more open to people of all ethnic groups than it was a decade ago. But there Katwala said.
“Many people do mark St George’s Day with pride, but on the whole it has been neglected and that’s a great shame.”
Katwala noted the recent support for Labour MP David Lammy, who was told by a caller on LBC radio that he could not be English due to his AfricanCaribbean heritage last month.
“The support (…) shows Englishness can be an inclusive identity that is shared equally by people of every creed and colour in England,” he said.
is more work to do,”
“April 23 could be a day to celebrate that – so it’s time to show how St George can bring us together.”
Imam Qari, of Makkah Mosque in Leeds, said, “St George’s Day reminds us that Britain is a diverse nation.
“Our similarities and innate desire to help our neighbours is something I have noticed over
the past year. I have been humbled as a faith leader to see how the nation has rallied together during the pandemic, supporting one another.”
He added that he would speak to his congregation about why St George’s Day should be a day where everyone reflects on the past year and recognises how “united we are by our shared identity”.
Previous research for British Future found only 40 per cent of people in England were actually aware of when it was St George’s Day. Two-thirds of those surveyed in England (66 per cent) said St Patrick’s Day (celebrating the patron saint of Ireland) was more widely celebrated in England than St George’s Day.