英國：五年國慶累計花費230英鎊！

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1025523/230-Thats-Department-Culture-spent-promoting-St-Georges-Day-FIVE-years.html

英國：五年國慶累計花費230英鎊！

　　英國文化部長承認，在過去5年裏僅花了230英鎊來慶祝英格蘭的國慶日。
　　據悉，4月23日的聖喬治日，即英格蘭的國慶日，是一個名存實亡的節日。
　　英國文化部長瑪格麗特8226;霍奇(Margaret Hodge)承認，英國政府今年隻花了116英鎊來慶祝聖喬治日，比2007年多了兩英鎊，而之前的3年都是一文不花，5年來共花230英鎊。
　　這一坦白立刻招致了愛國人士的憤怒。
　　下議院議員安德魯8226;羅辛戴爾說：“這真是丟人，我們肯定是世界上唯一一個在慶國慶日上分文不花的國家。我怎麽也沒料想到，慶國慶上花費會如此之少。”他還呼籲文化部門要改變這一現狀。
　　據悉，聖喬治日這天全民並不放假，人們興趣全無。

163;230: That's how much Department for Culture spent promoting St George's Day in FIVE years

By Daniel Martin
Last updated at 8:49 AM on 11th June 2008

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Icon: But the Department for Culture, Media and Sport only spent 163;230 promoting St George's Day over a five year period

They were happy to fly the flag of St George on the patron saint's day.
But it seems ministers aren't quite so keen to put their money where their mouths are.

For, in the past five years, Labour has spent just 163;230 promoting St George's Day.

In 2008 they spent 163;116. In 2007, 163;114... and in the previous three years, nothing was spent at all.

This April, Downing Street proudly raised the flag, and Mr Brown's spokesman said: 'The prime minister's view is that of course we should celebrate our Britishness, but celebrating our Britishness does not mean we cannot also celebrate our Englishness, Scottishness, Welshness or Northern Irishness.'

Justice Secretary Jack Straw urged the English to reclaim the day from 'bigots'.

'Anyone proud to be English is equally proud of St George and what, down the ages, his myth and his flag have come to represent for this nation within the United Kingdom,' he wrote in the Daily Mail.

But yesterday, Margaret Hodge, the culture minister, admitted how little had been spent actually promoting the day.

Her department started flying the flag on the patron saint's day in 2007.

The figures were revealed in a written answer to the Commons following a request from the Tories.

Critics rounded on the Government's lack of funding. Tory MP Andrew Rosindell said: 'We must be the only country in the world that spends nothing or virtually nothing on celebrating its national day. I was expecting it to be low but not that low.

'There needs to be a change in the culture of Government in the way it approaches something like this,' added Mr Rosindell, who is chairman of the all-party St George's Day group.

Lord Tebbit, who is patron of the group, said: 'This marks the final abandonment of the culture of England. I'm quite sure the Government is spending lots of money on other cultures' celebrations.'

St Patrick's Day is a public holiday in Ireland. The Irish national day attracts far greater recognition in England than does St George. And pubs find it far easier to obtain a late licence for March 17.

In Scotland, St Andrew's Day is a voluntary public holiday, meaning banks are not forced to close.

Although St George may be out of favour financially, the notion of Britishness is very much in fashion with ministers.

Last week, they announced plans to make the August Bank Holiday a national celebration of 'Britishness'.

Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said that bringing together immigrants and UK citizens would bolster community relations.

He suggested a speech from the Queen, street parties, singing and carnivals against a backdrop of posters showing Winston Churchill and other historical figures.

A Department of Culture, Media and Sport spokesman said the 163;230 was spent on putting flags up on St George's Day at the department's offices in 2007 and 2008.

He added: 'We spend millions of pounds through tourism bodies marketing all aspects of the country to visitors.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1025523/230-Thats-Department-Culture-spent-promoting-St-Georges-Day-FIVE-years.html#ixzz0SnRiROHF

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