Battle to save Rule, Britannia at Last Night of the Proms wins cross-party support
The Culture Secretary and her Labour opposite number have given the iconic song the thumbs-up
The continued singing of Rule, Britannia! on the Last Night of the Proms has won cross-party support.
The patriotic song is the highlight of the Proms for many music-lovers but it has become a focus of controversy in recent years.
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer gave her wholehearted support to Thomas Arne’s composition remaining at the heart of the Royal Albert Hall concert.
She told the Sunday Express: “I’m proud of my country. Rule, Britannia! has been a fixture of Last Night of the Proms for many years and long may it continue.
“We should be championing our traditions and shared culture, not trying to whitewash or erase them.”
Shadow Culture Secretary Thangham Debbonaire also gave her backing, saying: “Of course it’s acceptable.”
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There was dismay in 2020 when plans to perform the song without lyrics were announced. The decision was reversed days later but the work continues to trigger strong opinions.
Cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason earlier this year suggested Rule, Britannia! could be replaced with British folk music.
The musician, who was a soloist at last year’s Last Night of the Proms, said that “maybe some people don’t realise how uncomfortable a song like that can make a lot of people feel”.
The composition, which can be traced back to the mid-18th century, features the line "Britons never, never, never shall be slaves".
In 2020, then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson boasted of how Conservatives “aren’t embarrassed about songs about how Britannia rules the waves,” adding: “In fact, we are making sense of it with a Conservative national shipbuilding strategy.”
That year former BBC chairman Lord Grade said the decision to perform the song without lyrics was “idiotic” and “a ghastly mistake which shows how out of touch they are with their audience”.
The organisers of this year’s Last Night of the Proms on September 14 promise “an end-of-season party like no other”. Stars include Grammy Award-winning American soprano Angel Blue and pianist Sir Stephen Hough, with Finland’s Sakari Oramo conducting.
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This year’s Proms season may stir controversy with its departures from traditional classical music.
On July 20 the “sound of disco” will be celebrated on a night featuring the music of Chic, Gloria Gaynor, Diana Ross, Boney M and Walter Murphy.
The music of folk rock icon Nick Drake will be performed on July 24 with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Singer-songwriter Sam Smith will join the BBC Concert Orchestra on August 2 for a “retrospective look” at his debut album, In the Lonely Hour.
There will be a Dr Who-themed Prom on August 26, and on September 11 singer Florence Welch will join Jules Buckley and his Orchestra for a celebration of her debut album, Lungs.
A BBC spokesman said: "This year’s Last Night of the Proms soloist, soprano Angel Blue, will be singing Rule Britannia with chorus joining in the refrains. This is the same format as 2023."
