Hope for more EU flags at Last Night of the Proms
NewsAfter years of fighting the BBC for the right to distribute EU flags at the flagship event, organisers of the protest have received support from the Musicians Union.
Take a look at this exchange:
An open letter to @NaomiPohl , General Secretary of @WeAreTheMU
Dear Naomi
Since 2016, we @EUFlagsTeam and @EUflagmafia have ensured that the #LastNightoftheProms 🇪🇺🇪🇺 flag handout @bbcproms has been a highly visible manifestation of British musicians' opposition to Brexit: By… pic.twitter.com/O9leognysI— EU Flags Team (@EUFlagsTeam) September 4, 2023
Absolutely agree about the effects of Brexit for musicians and this is a major ongoing campaign for us. What do you need from us? Please do get in touch with me directly at the MU.
— Naomi Pohl (@NaomiPohl) September 4, 2023
A bit cheap to try and hijack a public event like this for a politicised stunt, and even more so to try and co-opt the union to strong-arm the BBC. As things stand, anyone is free to take whatever flag they like to the LNOTP , and the EU flag has always been well represented before and after the UK voted to leave the EU. Hard to see why this is necessary; there’s a definite air of desperation here.
The only institution I respect less than the BBC is EU.
Oh, and, please, please remember the Pride Flags, the official religion of the state.
Rightish populism with fake news about the disadvantages of EU membership caused the UK to leave the EU.
The EU flag has the same colour coding as the Ukrainian flag. So waiving EU flags at the Proms is also signalling solidarity with the Ukraine in their mission to enter the EU.
No, people had the right to vote what they wanted. They did and we are out. If you wanna stay in, emigrate and leave this country to people who want it.
I’m not sure one would look to a trade union representing mainly middle class professionals for sense on this issue, let alone acceptance.
Is this some way of mitigating their already mixed feelings at their members participating in such a British jamboree? However, I cannot think our membership (or non-membership) of the EU matters in this regard one jot.
The Last Night… is the Last Night. And seems to be immune to change.
Just using the Proms for a political platform than the simple English tradition of how it stated and goes on. Very boring every year to have this turned into an EU and Rainbow event as of the even worse Eurovision Song Contest.
A “rainbow event”? Really? Do explain.
Remember Jamie Barton?
It is very disingenuous to suggest LNOTP was not hijacked long, long ago for overtly political reasons. i.e. a demonstration of so-called British – in practice English – belief in Empire, imperialism etc. Come on … Rule Britannia! It always made me and many other Scots cringe at this overt display of patriotic Englishness. Like so much else about covert demonstrations of imperialism, effectively conservatism, it’ s well overdue a serious trans-UK appearance and sound.
I presume all the remoaners will choke on the words and have a hissy fit when it comes to singing Rule, Britannia!
One can enjoy singing it without believing, just as one can enjoy singing hymns without believing.
It has been sung for a very long time to celebrate the Royal Navy making the seas safe from the Barbary Pirates among others. The Barbary Pirates intercepted many European ships and enslaved and sold the people on board to slavery in north Africa. They took slaves from villages around the coast of Britain, even getting over to Ireland and Iceland. Personally, I believe that stopping slavery is a worth singing about.
@PD: Wait for the woke, self-hating liberal meltdown as they try to turn that one round to favour their junk ideology.
To make it even better, let’s remove the awful ‘Rule, Britannia’ with the wonderful ‘Anthem of Europe’ whilst having the Royal Albert Hall adorned with the beautiful EU flag to let the EU know the little Brexit experiment has thoroughly failed! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Feeling better, now?
Absolutely! We’ll shortly be knocking at the EU door to plead for re-admission. Perhaps this gesture would help!
Indeed. Just read the words! Cringe-worthy and oh, so very, very English. If there is such a thing as the UK any longer – personally I doubt it – perhaps an overt celebration of all the nations of the UK would be more appropriate. Anyhow, one’s credentials as an ardent supporter of Brexit place you now in a very, very small minority unless, of course, xenophobia is something you would like to ‘celebrate’!
If you haven’t worked it out yet labelling people you disagree with a certain word hasn’t worked.
These poor, sad losers. Will they ever get over it? Brexit Derangement Syndrome at its most pathetic.
I’m sure we’d all be very happy not to perform for you. Just let us know and we won’t bother. Unless you’ve lost significant work, as many musicians have, your comment is without foundation.
Rule, Britannia should be banned from the proms!!! Sooner we rejoin the EU the better!!!!!!!! LONG LIVE WAVING THE BEAUTIFUL EU FLAG AT THE LAST NIGHT!!!!
The ee-yew flag represents the crown of thorns – wave it on good Friday.
The only ee-yaw flag I recognise is that of the UK! #littlebritain
Satire is not dead, clearly.
No democracy isn’t their favourite subject, that’s why they loved the EU
EU flag protesters and the Musicians Union, two desperate and impotent bodies find solace in each other.
Dear folks,
This is mostly aimed the detractors and those bemoaning the “woke removers” and “impotent” MU. Get a grip. Do not dare tell us we are middle class. The way I live does not feel it. Do not dare insinuate that this is virtue signalling. Because our careers have been limited by Brexit and all the things that come with it (which we were assured wouldnt). Do not dare call the trade union impotent. It is the reason you ate able to enjoy the Proms and other events as you do. Having experienced tour processes for Europe and the Middle East this year, I would love to tell you which was easier to participate in and exactly why that is. Have a guess?
Walk a mile in a musicians shoes, and then wonder why any orchestra you happend to mention the word ‘Brexit’ to would immediately sigh, as one, in utter despair.
Thank you, and kindly button it.
Very well said.
Rule, Britannia should be banned from the proms!!! Sooner we rejoin the EU the better!!!!!!!! LONG LIVE THE WAVING THE BEAUTIFUL EU FLAG AT THE LAST NIGHT!!!!
Back in your box, now…
The sooner we rejoin, the better it will be for all of us, especially touring musicians, who have lost so much work to this failed idea of ‘Brexit’. It’s great to see the Musicians Union supporting such an important movement! #RejointheEU!!
You’re claiming that a majority would agree to scrap the pound and sign up to the euro ? They would abandon hand over national control of monetary and, logically, fiscal policy to the EU ? Pay even MORE to Brussels than we were before AND actually sign up to the goal of a federal Europe ?
Ain’t going to happen. You and I both know it. Thankfully.
Embarrassing now, i voted remain. But many have died under our flag, no flag should be raised higher on these islands.
Given EU attempts to undermine the democratic decision taken by the British people, it’s simply baffling to see supposed British people waving this flag, and doing so WHILST singing
‘Rule Britannia’
Born again Brexiteer Starmer will be furious.
Rule Britannia
Britannia rules F*** all
Never ever has a country
Seemed so small
And who doesn’t think the sea of EU flags was utterly beautiful during the Last Night!?! It’s saying something – WE WANT BACK IN – let’s pray it happens sooner rather than later!
And wasn’t ‘Rule Britannia’ ghastly to listen to?! I still don’t understand why it’s still being performed at the last night – IT NEEDS TO BE CANCELLED!!!!