The UK government has faced ridicule after encouraging children to sing a new song called ‘One Britain One Nation’ in a bid to unite the nation.
Earlier this week, the Department For Education announced plans for school children to “celebrate One Britain One Nation Day” on Friday (June 25) by participating in a mass singalong of its official new “anthem”.
It’s hoped that students will “learn about our shared values of tolerance, kindness, pride and respect” by getting involved.
A snippet of the dystopian ditty – which ends with the repeated line “strong Britain, great nation” – has since gone viral on Twitter, with many making comparisons with North Korea, while others simply expressed their horror over what they had heard.
We're encouraging schools across the UK to celebrate One Britain One Nation Day on 25 June, when children can learn about our shared values of tolerance, kindness, pride and respect.#OBONDAY21 @1Britain1Nation
For more information:https://t.co/y7PQblUeDN
— Department for Education (@educationgovuk) June 21, 2021
Count Binface, who was in the running for last month’s London mayoral election, shared the clip of ‘One Britain One Nation Day’ and said that he was “urging children to sing Another Brick In The Wall Part 2 on June 25”.
Comedian Alistair Green, meanwhile, commented: “We’re having a total breakdown as a country it’s incredible to watch. We just no longer have any idea who we are or what we want I can’t stop laughing it’s mad.”
Referencing the government’s widely-criticised suggestion that those in the arts should retrain amid the pandemic, John Byrne said: “THIS is what happens when you make all the songwriters & musicians retrain in cyber.”
Elsewhere, others pointed out that school pupils in Scotland will have already broken up for their summer holidays by Friday.
You can see those posts and more below:
Quite fitting that it’s talking about how great we are whilst being absolute dog shit https://t.co/bxs6il71N5
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) June 22, 2021
We just no longer have any idea who we are or what we want I can’t stop laughing it’s mad.
— alistair green (@mralistairgreen) June 23, 2021
Count Binface is urging children to sing Another Brick In The Wall Part 2 on June 25. https://t.co/85Mb1fY3Jd
— Count Binface (@CountBinface) June 22, 2021
This sounds like whoever wrote it forgot they had to write it and made it up on the spot. https://t.co/PwTtlRkYat
— Michael Fry (@BigDirtyFry) June 22, 2021
The United Kingdom entry for Eurovision 2022 seems set to somehow score worse than the 2021 one https://t.co/XixtmLfj83
— Rami Ismail (رامي) (@tha_rami) June 23, 2021
THIS is what happens when you make all the songwriters & musicians retrain in cyber
https://t.co/aJFBHF1Q1T
— John Byrne (@dearjohnbyrne) June 22, 2021
Scottish Schools are on holiday on June 25th.
https://t.co/GYp451yljC
— David Paisley (@DavidPaisley) June 22, 2021
TERRIBLE day to have ears https://t.co/v7rKxecfJa
— Fran (@whotheFisfran) June 23, 2021
I have died and gone to hell. https://t.co/pxOZxd8AfU
— Nick Harkaway (@Harkaway) June 22, 2021
Want me to sing a creepy nationalist song anyone, lift the mood a bit? https://t.co/Ivdyqc00sb pic.twitter.com/3PXIeLEQTe
— Paul Stollery
(@PaulStollery) June 22, 2021
okay we're fucked https://t.co/KV5K6j8o1D
— Call of Cthembo
(@theymerSophie) June 22, 2021
Never go full North Korea https://t.co/q2opsXIEDk
— Rejoin EU (@brejoineu) June 22, 2021
Doesn’t even slap https://t.co/EpTELH1xdT
— Felix (@ozzy_felix) June 22, 2021
A description on the official One Britain One Nation website reads: “One Britain One Nation brings us together, not to focus on our differences but to celebrate the values we share: tolerance, kindness, pride, respect, and a tremendous desire to help others.
“Today’s Britain boasts a wonderful array of cultures. It is our multicultural identity that makes Britain so unique.
“Our diverse cultures are inextricably linked by the sole fact that we are British. It is this fact that has prompted OBON to reinforce and revive what collectively unites us.”
It adds: “OBON aims to give a new impetus for the creation of a harmonised society, to make Britain an international model of moral rectitude.”
The post UK government mocked for asking kids to sing bizarre ‘One Britain One Nation’ song appeared first on NME.
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