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MPs to vote on England adopting official national anthem

The Webb Ellis Cup is seen as England and Fiji observe the national anthem during the 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool A match at Twickenham
Image: England and Fiji open Rugby World Cup to the tune of God Save The Queen

MPs are expected to vote later today on the idea of England adopting an official national anthem in place of God Save The Queen.

For decades God Save The Queen has been sung prior to major occasions, including football, rugby union and rugby league, where the England national team is involved.

However, Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins believes England needs its own anthem and will present a Bill to Parliament on the subject for the first time later today.

If the vote is passed his bill will be debated again at a second reading, at which point MPs will have their first opportunity to debate the main principles.

Speaking to Sky Sports News HQ, Perkins, the MP for Chesterfield, said: "God Save The Queen is the national anthem of Great Britain and Northern Ireland but on sporting occasions the union is broken up and we play as individual nations.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 10: The teams line up for the national anthems prior to the 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool A match between Australia and Wales at Twic
Image: Wales line up for national anthem ahead of World Cup tie against Australia.

"Scotland and Wales have their own national anthem and it seems right to me in this era of devolution that England should also have its own anthem.

"Years ago England fans would have taken the union jack to matches now they take the flag of St George and I think part of that is about having an English national anthem."

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And Perkins believes his Bill has a good chance of being passed judged on the reaction he has already received.

"On the whole it has been very, very positive," he said. "The Daily Mirror ran a poll after the story broke that this Bill was coming forward and over 70 per cent of people who responded to that thought it was a good idea.

"And a huge number of other people who really hadn't thought about it previously just assumed that God Save The Queen was the English national anthem. They have now thought about it and thought maybe England should have its own song."

Scotland players sing national anthem ahead of international at Hampden Park
Image: Scotland players sing Flower of Scotland ahead of international at Hampden

While Perkins is keen for England to fall in line with Scotland and Wales, he admits the people will have a say in deciding whether a new anthem is introduced.

"There has been a number of different suggestions," he added. "I think Jerusalem would probably be my favourite. Other people have suggested things like Land Of Hope And Glory, I Vow To Thee My Country and There'll Always Be An England.

"There is a number of choices. You'd probably want God Save The Queen to be among those choices but what my Bill will call for is for the Secretary of State to do a consultation right across England and allow the people there to come to that choice and if they want to retain what we have had in the past then that's fine.

Scotland and Wales have their own national anthem and it seems right to me in this era of devolution that England should also have its own anthem.
Toby Perkins MP

"But if like me they think England should have a national anthem that's specifically English when we are representing England and British when we are representing Britain, it would still be God Save The Queen on occasions like Remembrance Sunday and the Trooping of the Colour.

"But when we are representing England on the sporting field then an English national anthem I think is an idea that's time has come."

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