Jacob Rees Mogg plays 'Rule, Britannia!' in Commons after BBC U-turns on Proms performance
Jacob Rees-Mogg played Rule, Britannia! on his phone in the House of Commons to celebrate the BBC reversing its decision about the Last Night Of The Proms.
The Commons Leader held his mobile phone close to the microphone near the despatch box and played the song, ensuring MPs heard the words: “When Britain first, at heaven’s command.”
Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle intervened to joke that Rees-Mogg had broken the values of the House, and teased: “How dare he.”
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Rule, Britannia! and Land Of Hope And Glory will now be sung at the concert, following weeks of debate, it was announced on Thursday.
The BBC previously said the pieces would feature without lyrics, following controversy over their perceived historical links with colonialism and slavery, but they will now be performed by a select group of vocalists.
The BBC announced the U-turn one day after Tim Davie took over as director-general.
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Rees-Mogg told the Speaker: “I, of course, apologise for any offence I may have given the House, but when Britain first, at heaven’s command, arose from out the azure main, this was the anthem of the land and guardian angels sang this strain.
“Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves, and Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.
“And let us hope the BBC will recognise the virtues of Britannia in this land of hope and glory.”
Rees-Mogg was replying to Conservative colleague, who suggested the BBC had used a “smokescreen set of excuses” for its original decision to “mask yet another virtue-signalling capitulation to political correctness”.
On Wednesday, Boris Johnson claimed the country is going through “an orgy of national embarrassment” about its traditions and history.
After Rees-Mogg played the tune, Labour MP Kevin Brennan quipped during business questions: “I was very disappointed with little musical stunt with his mobile phone earlier on – a clear case I thought of Britannia waives the rules.”
New BBC director-general Davie reportedly told staff on Thursday he would be clamping down on staff being partisan on social media.
Davie’s new regime appears to be seeking to double down on the impartiality of the corporation.
It was recently reported Davie wanted less left-leaning comedy in programming.
In his speech, he said: “If you want to be an opinionated columnist, or a partisan campaigner on social media, then that is a valid choice but you should not be working at the BBC.”
He added: “To be clear, this is not about abandoning democratic values such as championing fair debate or an abhorrence of racism.”
