Post by Neko Bazu on Jun 5, 2007 5:01:15 GMT -1
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6721239.stm
Woohoo! ;D
Whether you look at this as an excuse to have another bank holiday, see it as a chance to - as they put it - recapture the Union Jack from the right wing, or view it as a genuine step towards the powers that be accepting that maybe being British isn't such a bad thing, it's all good! ;D
(For the record, I'm #1 and #3 - the righties never took my Union Flag to begin with!
)
A national "Britain Day" to celebrate its values and achievements is being proposed by two senior ministers.
Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly and Immigration Minister Liam Byrne say it could be a new bank holiday or linked to the state opening of Parliament.
In a pamphlet on their proposals, they also suggest immigrants could have the chance to "earn" British citizenship.
Under a points-based system, credit would be given for doing voluntary work but lost for breaking the law.
The two ministers say UK communities need a stronger sense of what they have in common, and they say the proposed national day would celebrate British values and achievements.
Mr Byrne said: "At a time when we face the threat of a new extremism, I just think it's important now for the law-abiding majority to stand up for the values that we've got in common.
"One of the ways that we can do that is just taking a bit of time out each year to actually celebrate what we're proudest of in this country."
One of the ministers' suggestions is for "good neighbour contracts" setting out rights and duties for all people new to the UK.
Young people could receive "citizens' packs" when they come of age, setting out what is expected of adults.
These would give information on voter registration, volunteering opportunities and expectations of what they might be asked to undertake, such as jury service.
Other suggestions for how Britain Day might take shape, made in the pamphlet for the left-of-centre think tank the Fabian Society, include:
# Celebrating civic values, local heritage and opportunities to get involved in local life
# Holding local "citizenship ceremonies"
# Celebrating and promoting voluntary work in communities
# Showing a debt of gratitude to war veterans who helped to secure freedoms
# The Queen's state opening of Parliament speech could be followed by a "State of the Nation" address from the prime minister
Prime-minister-in-waiting Gordon Brown has himself previously floated the idea of day to promote the nation's identity.
In a speech in 2006, he said it was important the union jack was recaptured from the far-right and that promoting integration had become even more important since the previous year's 7 July London suicide bombings.
BBC News political editor Nick Robinson said Mr Brown has wondered privately why young British men blew themselves and their fellow citizens up, when in the US, where they celebrate their citizenship much more, young Muslim men had not done the same.
In 2006, a survey by BBC History magazine suggested the anniversary of the signing of Magna Carta in 1215 would be the most popular day for a Britain Day.
The 15 June date was favoured by 27% of the 5,002 people polled, ahead of VE Day (8 May) with 21%, and D-Day (6 June) with 14%.
Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly and Immigration Minister Liam Byrne say it could be a new bank holiday or linked to the state opening of Parliament.
In a pamphlet on their proposals, they also suggest immigrants could have the chance to "earn" British citizenship.
Under a points-based system, credit would be given for doing voluntary work but lost for breaking the law.
The two ministers say UK communities need a stronger sense of what they have in common, and they say the proposed national day would celebrate British values and achievements.
Mr Byrne said: "At a time when we face the threat of a new extremism, I just think it's important now for the law-abiding majority to stand up for the values that we've got in common.
"One of the ways that we can do that is just taking a bit of time out each year to actually celebrate what we're proudest of in this country."
One of the ministers' suggestions is for "good neighbour contracts" setting out rights and duties for all people new to the UK.
Young people could receive "citizens' packs" when they come of age, setting out what is expected of adults.
These would give information on voter registration, volunteering opportunities and expectations of what they might be asked to undertake, such as jury service.
Other suggestions for how Britain Day might take shape, made in the pamphlet for the left-of-centre think tank the Fabian Society, include:
# Celebrating civic values, local heritage and opportunities to get involved in local life
# Holding local "citizenship ceremonies"
# Celebrating and promoting voluntary work in communities
# Showing a debt of gratitude to war veterans who helped to secure freedoms
# The Queen's state opening of Parliament speech could be followed by a "State of the Nation" address from the prime minister
Prime-minister-in-waiting Gordon Brown has himself previously floated the idea of day to promote the nation's identity.
In a speech in 2006, he said it was important the union jack was recaptured from the far-right and that promoting integration had become even more important since the previous year's 7 July London suicide bombings.
BBC News political editor Nick Robinson said Mr Brown has wondered privately why young British men blew themselves and their fellow citizens up, when in the US, where they celebrate their citizenship much more, young Muslim men had not done the same.
In 2006, a survey by BBC History magazine suggested the anniversary of the signing of Magna Carta in 1215 would be the most popular day for a Britain Day.
The 15 June date was favoured by 27% of the 5,002 people polled, ahead of VE Day (8 May) with 21%, and D-Day (6 June) with 14%.
Woohoo! ;D
Whether you look at this as an excuse to have another bank holiday, see it as a chance to - as they put it - recapture the Union Jack from the right wing, or view it as a genuine step towards the powers that be accepting that maybe being British isn't such a bad thing, it's all good! ;D
(For the record, I'm #1 and #3 - the righties never took my Union Flag to begin with!
)
It being an English day aside (naughty word 
), it'd mean they'd have to allow bank holidays for all the other days too - harm the economy blah blah blah 
