IT’S St George’s Day today yet most of us won’t either celebrate it or even acknowledge why we have a special day for England’s patron saint.
The majority of us seldom state how proud we are of our country, or lustily sing the national anthem. But a campaign sparked by Bolton’s Cllr Mudasir Dean could change all that.
The Bradshaw councillor wants to re-ignite national pride among local children by encouraging schools to fly the Union flag, and have pupils singing the national anthem at school assemblies.
He wants to show youngsters that there’s nothing wrong with being patriotic. His grandfather came to Bolton in the 1920s from India and was one of the first Asians to settle here. “He was a true English gentleman and a true Boltonian”, states Cllr Dean.
However, he points out that, growing up in Bolton himself, he’s “seen less and less of the Union flag. It’s been hijacked by the far right and it’s time to take that symbol back into mainstream British, Bolton life,” he added
Now, apologies to all the sceptics out there, but that statement made me feel proud of this town and this country.
We, as a nation, can’t wait to knock England and all its past and present achievements. I’m not an apologist for the British Raj or for shaming episodes in our military history, but I believe we have still achieved many great things and that we have lost sight of the importance of pride in that.
Few other nations are so slighting about their country, which can easily be witnessed at any international sporting occasion. The visiting team is usually the one singing their national anthem with commitment and hand on heart. The Brits are the ones shuffling and mumbling, not knowing the words or just not bothering at all.
Yet, we are completely capable of genuine national pride. Just look at the  success of the 2012 London Olympics and remember how we felt when yet another Brit captured a medal.
Most of us could watch re-runs of Mo Farah’s or Jessica Ennis’s triumphs  all evening, re-living that emotional surge at being one of their fellow countrymen grateful to be sharing the moment.
Today’s kids may not think it’s cool to show nationalistic emotion – and I agree, as history shows, this can be a dangerous thing under the wrong leadership – but there’s nothing bad about conspicuous displays of patriotism.
Start with the flag at schools and introduce the national anthem gradually, but let’s be proud to be British for a change. And not afraid to shout about it.