Letter: Keeping one's childhood innocence

Chris Hallam has invited Star readers to comment on the latest news that Boris Johnson is introducing a new children’s song to encourage unity and patriotism across the UK.

The song which is promoted by an organisation called One Britain, One Nation (OBON) has been written and recorded by children from a Bradford Primary School.

A section of the song is “We are Britain and we have one dream. To unite the people in one great team. Strong Britain. Great Nation”.- the last four words repeated several times.

The song and how it came to be written has aroused divided opinion in the national media – hence Chris’ request for local opinions.

I regret that Boris Johnson has seen fit in one of his inspirational (?) moments to involve primary school children in the political/patriotic arena.

At their tender age they cannot be expected to fully understand ideas put forward by their elders and they should not be expected to take part in what some may perceive to be state brainwashing.

This practice existed and still exists in other countries/regimes and is to be deplored in a democratic civilised world.

I in no way denigrate the children who became involved/indoctrinated in the production of this song.

I found the recording to be without any melody and the lyrics to be a chanted repetitive type – rather than being inspiring it was a monotonous drone.

Something along the lines of Elgar’s Land of Hope and Glory would have been much more pleasant and patriotic to the ear – but he was not a child!

We have several rousing patriotic tunes in our national repertoire – let our children learn of these at a later age when they are more conversant with the ways of life.

On a different topic, it is reported in the national media that John Bercow the ex-speaker of the House of Commons has ditched the Conservative party to switch allegiance to the Labour party.

By doing so he has confirmed what many suspected by his siding with Labour during the Brexit process, when as Speaker he was supposed to be impartial.

He was ‘rewarded’ for his ‘impartiality’ by becoming the only Speaker in recent history not to be awarded a Peerage on his retirement by the Prime Minister – while Boris may have been lavish with his retirement praise in Parliament he certainly had the last laugh with his ‘arrow in the back’ personal endorsement of Mr Bercow.

Despite all of Boris’ alleged shortcomings, Labour still are seemingly unable to make any inroads in gaining re-election to Government – with the likes of the discredited John Bercow as a new member I respectfully suggest that their chances are now even more remote.