A YORKSHIRE Euro-MP last night insisted he would not stand for the European Union's anthem, branding it "unnecessary, provocative and a waste of time and money".
Timothy Kirkhope, Tory leader in the European Parliament, spoke out after his fellow MEPs voted overwhelmingly to adopt the anthem along with the EU's flag and motto, "United in diversity". MEPs voted by 503 to 96 in favour of the controversial symbo
ls, which EU leaders dropped from the Lisbon Treaty for fear of being branded federalists.
The vote means the anthem, based on Beethoven's Ode to Joy, will be performed at all European Parliament sittings where heads of state are present. It will also be played at the opening ceremony after each European election, but Mr Kirkhope said he "wouldn't stand for it".
"Symbols and anthems are often used to promote nationhood, but many MEPs don't understand that people do not want to be part of a European nation," he added. "The inclusion of the anthem and EU symbols in the parliament's functioning, highlights the federalist intentions of some MEPs."
The vote changes little in reality – the flag and anthem have been the EU's symbols since 1985 – but several MEPs echoed Mr Kirkhope's concerns.
Northern Ireland MEP Jim Allister said: "Ode to Joy may be a very nice tune, but so is Jingle Bells and like Jingle Bells it heralds a fantasy – the fantasy that the EU is good for you."
Yorkshire Labour MEP Richard Corbett pointed out that, although Lady Thatcher had endorsed the symbols 23 years ago, all but two Tory MEPs had voted against yesterday's motion. "It says a lot about the extreme Euroscepticism of the Tories that so many of them would disown a decision taken by their political heroine."
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