To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he took to mark United Nations Day on 24 October 2008.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he took to mark United Nations Day on 24 October 2008.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what provision his Department is planning to make to assist veterans in returning to Normandy for the 65th anniversary of the Landings in 2009; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what provision his Department is planning to make to assist veterans in returning to Normandy for the 65th anniversary of the Landings in 2009; and if he will make a statement.

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on proposals for a British Day.

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on proposals for a British Day.

With great respect to the hon. Gentleman, they are not so different. They are consistent with survey after survey on the strength of the British identity. He might need to go back to the surveys and look at the exact questions asked. That is always the case with surveys. I...

With great respect to the hon. Gentleman, they are not so different. They are consistent with survey after survey on the strength of the British identity. He might need to go back to the surveys and look at the exact questions asked. That is always the case with surveys. I...

I am pleased to lead this afternoon’s debate on proposals for a British day. If I may say so, the debate is not before time. Almost every nation, country, territory and, indeed, people throughout the world is proud to celebrate its identity by establishing a special day of celebration, so...

I am pleased to lead this afternoon’s debate on proposals for a British day. If I may say so, the debate is not before time. Almost every nation, country, territory and, indeed, people throughout the world is proud to celebrate its identity by establishing a special day of celebration, so...

I am grateful for those figures. Has the Minister any idea why they are so different from all the other social attitude surveys that we have seen in the past five years, which clearly show a trend in the other direction?

I am grateful for those figures. Has the Minister any idea why they are so different from all the other social attitude surveys that we have seen in the past five years, which clearly show a trend in the other direction?

I was just about to do that very thing: 70 per cent. of those in Scotland felt a strong sense of belonging to Britain. What emerges strongly from all those figures is the strength of the British identity as a source of belonging across age, gender, region and ethnicity. For...

I was just about to do that very thing: 70 per cent. of those in Scotland felt a strong sense of belonging to Britain. What emerges strongly from all those figures is the strength of the British identity as a source of belonging across age, gender, region and ethnicity. For...

Will the Minister repeat the 70 per cent. figure for Scotland, in case not everyone in the Chamber quite heard it?

Will the Minister repeat the 70 per cent. figure for Scotland, in case not everyone in the Chamber quite heard it?

I, too, add my congratulations to the hon. Member for Romford (Andrew Rosindell) on securing this important debate and on his passionate celebration of what it means to be British. We heard important and thoughtful contributions from my hon. Friends the Members for Blackpool, South (Mr. Marsden) and for Great...

I, too, add my congratulations to the hon. Member for Romford (Andrew Rosindell) on securing this important debate and on his passionate celebration of what it means to be British. We heard important and thoughtful contributions from my hon. Friends the Members for Blackpool, South (Mr. Marsden) and for Great...

My right hon. Friend the Leader of the Opposition is a fervent Unionist. It is one of the best things about him. He made a very good speech in Glasgow and has made many such speeches. He is not jingoistic about Britishness, and he respects what it is to be...

My right hon. Friend the Leader of the Opposition is a fervent Unionist. It is one of the best things about him. He made a very good speech in Glasgow and has made many such speeches. He is not jingoistic about Britishness, and he respects what it is to be...

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for giving way. Having watched that goal, I ask him to reflect on the suggestion that the Prime Minister might have selected it simply because it was one of the most miraculous goals ever scored.

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for giving way. Having watched that goal, I ask him to reflect on the suggestion that the Prime Minister might have selected it simply because it was one of the most miraculous goals ever scored.

I, too, congratulate the hon. Member for Romford (Andrew Rosindell), right down to his Union Jack cotton socks, on securing the debate. I half expected to see the Union Jack come billowing out and to hear the strains of ““Rule, Britannia!”” as he was delivering his speech. I recognise his...

I, too, congratulate the hon. Member for Romford (Andrew Rosindell), right down to his Union Jack cotton socks, on securing the debate. I half expected to see the Union Jack come billowing out and to hear the strains of ““Rule, Britannia!”” as he was delivering his speech. I recognise his...

Is that not exactly what I said earlier? Any proposal for a British day—whatever it is to be called—would not be a United Kingdom day but would encompass all people from the British isles and all those descended from the people of these islands, wherever they live in the world....

Is that not exactly what I said earlier? Any proposal for a British day—whatever it is to be called—would not be a United Kingdom day but would encompass all people from the British isles and all those descended from the people of these islands, wherever they live in the world....

I do not know what goes on the Prime Minister’s head, but when he made that comment, the tartan army and all Scottish football supporters baulked at the suggestion. The Prime Minister may have been impressed by the goal, but it was not a clever thing to say in terms...

I do not know what goes on the Prime Minister’s head, but when he made that comment, the tartan army and all Scottish football supporters baulked at the suggestion. The Prime Minister may have been impressed by the goal, but it was not a clever thing to say in terms...

I add my congratulations to the hon. Member for Romford (Andrew Rosindell) on securing this timely debate. For the past two years, I have been involved in this issue on behalf of one of my constituents, Bruno Peak, who is passionate about bringing about a Great British weekend, rather than...

I add my congratulations to the hon. Member for Romford (Andrew Rosindell) on securing this timely debate. For the past two years, I have been involved in this issue on behalf of one of my constituents, Bruno Peak, who is passionate about bringing about a Great British weekend, rather than...

The hon. Member for Romford is on steadier ground with that proposal and I have no great problems with it. There is a great social union between Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom, particularly England. However, I disagree with the idea that we should suddenly put out the...

The hon. Member for Romford is on steadier ground with that proposal and I have no great problems with it. There is a great social union between Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom, particularly England. However, I disagree with the idea that we should suddenly put out the...

I congratulate the hon. Member for Romford (Andrew Rosindell) on securing the debate. It was been most interesting, especially for me, as I was an historian in a previous career before being elected to Parliament. The hon. Gentleman identified a number of key points for a national day that resulted...

I congratulate the hon. Member for Romford (Andrew Rosindell) on securing the debate. It was been most interesting, especially for me, as I was an historian in a previous career before being elected to Parliament. The hon. Gentleman identified a number of key points for a national day that resulted...

We should not make things too complicated. If the hon. Gentleman were to check, he would discover that most embassies and high commissions have national day celebrations, to which local people are invited. They always use the Queen’s birthday weekend as a British day. I suggested that we could consider...

We should not make things too complicated. If the hon. Gentleman were to check, he would discover that most embassies and high commissions have national day celebrations, to which local people are invited. They always use the Queen’s birthday weekend as a British day. I suggested that we could consider...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for that observation. I have two comments. First, as has been suggested by a number of hon. Members, it is more complex than simply rallying around a royal day or a day for the monarchy. It has to be more pluralistic and representative than that....

I thank the hon. Gentleman for that observation. I have two comments. First, as has been suggested by a number of hon. Members, it is more complex than simply rallying around a royal day or a day for the monarchy. It has to be more pluralistic and representative than that....

I sincerely congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Romford (Andrew Rosindell) on introducing this important debate. As usual, with his brilliant patriotic fervour, he has given us many of the reasons we want to celebrate our Britishness. As ever, I agree with him, and I am pleased that thousands...

I sincerely congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Romford (Andrew Rosindell) on introducing this important debate. As usual, with his brilliant patriotic fervour, he has given us many of the reasons we want to celebrate our Britishness. As ever, I agree with him, and I am pleased that thousands...