Rob Hallett (above) wants his “Festival of Britain” to promote national pride and challenge the extreme Right’s definition of patriotism — “I’m fed up with the British National Party stealing the Union Jack.”He said the line-up could include Annie Lennox, Rod Stewart, Jarvis Cocker and Lily Allen, and that there would be a fashion show with British designers such as Vivienne Westwood.
“There will be no Stella, no Carlsberg, no horrible fizzy German stuff, only British ales,” he said. “No hot dogs, but bangers and fish and chips. I want to celebrate everything that’s British culturally and musically. I’m going to get great British singers singing with the BBC Concert Hall Orchestra — just British songs, written by British people.”
The event will be held on Clapham Common because “the man on the Clapham omnibus symbolises Middle England. It will be a family event, from noon to 9 o’clock, more civilised [than Glastonbury], it won’t be too loud and there will be no profanities.”
Times Online
