Forever England
‘LET’S face it – most tabloid journalists wouldn’t know a drop kick from a rolling maul…and for most of the year they probably couldn’t give a ruck.
| Fans gather around some old bloke’s column |
But one thing they don’t need is a second invitation to wrap themselves up in a Union Jack or St George’s flag and try to outdo each other in national pride.
Yesterday’s parade by England’s Rugby World Cup-winning squad makes the front page of all the tabloids, with even the football-loving Star joining in with a few verses of Sweet Chariot.
But this was really a moment made for the Mail, which salutes our ”Heroes” with a front-page picture, an eight-page pull-out and a column entitled, ”Patriotic And Proud Of It”.
It was, the paper says, ”the day the politically-correct haters of our history and identity were routed”.
Who exactly these ”politically-correct haters of our history and identity” are is not explained, but they seem to include one Mr T Blair.
”If a spoil-sport Government had wanted to cast a wet blanket on the celebrations for the Sweet Chariot parade,” it says, ”it could hardly have concocted more adverse conditions.”
Not only had it insisted that the parade take place on a weekday and instructed employers not to allow workers to take time off, but ”after the hardest frost and the coldest night of the winter so far, the forecast was for overcast skies”.
Evil Mr Blair and his evil cohorts of lesbians, single mothers and Europhiles were busy pressing every button on their weather machine, trying literally to rain on the parade.
”And yet, and yet…despite all these discouragements and disincentives,” the Mail says, ”London and the world witnessed the most astounding lump-in-your-throat scenes of national celebration England has known in decades, with the notable exception of the Golden Jubilee festivities last year.”
In other words, it was just about the best parade in the capital since last year. It almost brings tears to the eyes…’
Posted: 9th, December 2003 | In: Tabloids Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
