DUP MP for East Londonderry Gregory Campbell has responded to the UCUNF call for the National Anthem to be scrapped at Northern Ireland football matches. Gregory Campbell MP said:
“This matter is primarily the concern of the IFA and Northern Ireland football supporters. Many people throughout Northern Ireland will question the proposal from Kenny Donaldson, a senior UUP party officer, that our National Anthem should be binned. Presumably in the touchy-feely, don’t offend anybody world of Mr. Donaldson the National Anthem should be replaced with some drivel akin to “Ireland’s Call”.
Just because separatist elements in Scotland and Wales pursued the abandonment of the National Anthem in those countries does not mean that we should follow such a nationalist lead in this part of the United Kingdom. Mr. Donaldson in seeking to preempt any discussion among the football authorities is at odds with those in the football world.
The approach from UCUNF is bizarre. On Tuesday they were scoring an own goal purely on the political field of play and today they are doing likewise with politics and the sports field.
Our National Anthem is, and has been, God Save the Queen for many years, hundreds of players from all sections of the community have played for their Country with the National Anthem being aired.
It would appear that when the Ulster Unionists and their Conservative partners get the opportunity to take a lead in the political field as per Tuesday they fail to take it and yet when it is clear that others, in this instance the footballing authorities have a lead role, the UCUNF want to usurp it. If they are embarrassed at the debacle on Tuesday this only worsens their position."
