Perkins observed that God Save the Queen before England games "reflects a sense that we see Britain and England as synonymous."Ī 2007 poll conducted by the campaign group 'Anthem4England' saw 'Jerusalem' - the song used by the England cricket team - come out on top as the preferred alternative ahead of suggestions such as 'Land of Hope and Glory' and 'Rule Britannia'. The question has been raised on a number of occasions and in 2016 a motion put forward by Labour MP Toby Perkins, calling for a uniquely English national anthem to be adopted, was debated in the British parliament. With Scotland and Wales both adopting separate, distinct anthems for sport, England's use of the British national anthem - which officially encompasses the entire UK - has been an occasional talking point among politicians, supporters and athletes alike. However, only the England and Northern Ireland teams use the British national anthem before games, while the Scotland and Wales teams have their own unique national anthems - 'Flower of Scotland' and ' Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau ' ('Old Land of My Fathers'). In football the United Kingdom is represented by four national teams: England, Northern Ireland and Wales. God save the Queen! Controversy & alternative England anthems
However, the song has since been standardised and you can see that version in full below. The original lyrics referred specifically to the then British monarch King George II and a number of versions, including some of a more militaristic hue, have appeared through the years. The song is an ode to the sitting monarch and calls for the divine preservation of his or her reign as well as the demise of their foes. God Save the Queen (sometimes God Save the King) was adopted as the British national anthem in 1745 and it has remained so to this day.
The England cricket team, for example, uses 'Jerusalem' as its anthem. The song tends to be used when the nation is represented in sporting endeavours but there are some exceptions. Generally speaking, only the first verse of God Save the Queen is used, which means that it falls within FIFA's regulations regarding national anthems, which dictate that each team's anthem should not exceed 90 seconds in length. Officially God Save the Queen is the national anthem of the United Kingdom, but it has been synonymous with England since it first appeared. The England team uses a variation of 'God Save the Queen' as its sporting anthem for international matches. Here, Goal takes a look at one in particular: that of England.
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