Locals in Essex say they feel too scared and embarrassed to celebrate St George’s Day in public, but more should be done to mark the day.
Locals in Canvey Island want St George’s Day to be celebrated more (Image: Getty/PA Images)
A local from a town in Essex has said people there would celebrate St George’s Day but are “too scared”. Terry White, a pensioner who lives in Canvey Island, said: “Englishness is really important. I’d do something for St George’s Day but people are too scared.”
Mr White told GB News he believes other countries are proud of their national identity, but fears “cancel culture” in the UK deters people from showing support in public. He said something should be done for St George’s Day, VE Day and Churchill Day, tell ing the news channel that other countries, especially the US and Australia, are proud and English people “should be too”.
Fellow Canvey Islander John Sutton said he felt “very proud” to be English and would spend St George’s Day with his daughter in Grays. He added: “But it’s such a shame we don’t do more. I just think people are embarrassed.”
Local, Vanessa Jayne, said St George’s Day doesn’t seem to be celebrated much, but the country should make something of it, as others do for St Patrick’s Day.
The comments came on St George’s Day (April 23), after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hosted a reception at No.10 to mark the day of England’s patron saint.
At the do, Sir Keir shared his worries about the far-right claiming ownership of St George’s Cross and praised England for its diversity.
He pointed to the difference between his “working class” background and his predecessor, Rishi Sunak, “an English Hindu” who had also been able to become prime minister.
Sir Keir said: “That for me is something I think we should always be proud of and never take for granted.”
Conservative MP Andrew Rosindell recently called for greater celebration of St George’s Day and for it to become a bank holiday.
There is a perception that religious and cultural events celebrated by England’s diverse communities have gained more attention compared with traditional English occasions.
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Canvey Island’s Conservative club is holding a St George’s Day event (Image: Getty)
Sir Keir recently came in for criticism for failing to mark Ash Wednesday but wishing Brits Eid Mubarak. King Charles came under fire for speaking about Judaism and Islam in his Easter message.
The monarch spoke in his message of the love Jesus showed when he walked the Earth, adding this reflected the Jewish ethic of caring for strangers and the needy as well as “a deep human instinct” echoed in Islam and other religious traditions.
Charles went on to say that the three virtues the world still needs are faith, hope and love, with the latter being the greatest of them all.
Despite claims locals are “too scared” to mark St George’s Day in public, some Canvey Island residents said they would still fly the Cross of St George. Janet Layton told GB News: “I always put my St George’s flag out on my balcony.”
The local Conservative Club is holding a party while the Island’s branch of the Royal British Legion is knocking 20p off the price of its beer, wine and spirits.
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