EU fanatics' dire anthem
BRITONS face having to sing a European anthem praising the EU †œmotherland,Ãƒà ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚ ‚ it was revealed last night.
EuropeÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šà ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s top bureaucrat Romano Prodi has been given new words to go with the existing European hymn, Beethovenââ‚ ¬â„¢s Ode To Joy.
But Austrian academic Dr Peter RolandÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šà ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s lyrics sparked fury with their Soviet and Nazi overtones.
There are ominous echoes of StalinÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šà ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s imperialist Soviet regime in the line †œ ... freedom for its people in a bigger motherland.ââ ¡Ã‚¬Ã‚ÂÂ
The lyric is a dead ringer for one from the old Soviet anthem, †œ ... sing to the motherland, home of the free.ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šà ¬Ã‚ÂÂ
Shadow Foreign Secretary Michael Ancram fumed: †œThe people of Britain should give nil points to this EU anthem.
†œRomano Prodi and his friends, Mr Blair included, should abandon their ill-thought-out plans for a European superstate.ââ ¡Ã‚¬Ã‚ÂÂ
Frank Rosier, of the Normandy Veteransââ‚ ‚¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢ Association, also blasted the †œMotherlandÃƒà ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚à ‚ ode, saying: †œItÃƒÂ¢à ¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€Š¾Ã‚¢s a load of rubbish.
†œI canââ‚ ¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢t see anybody celebrating a Mother Europe.ââ‚à ‚¬Ã‚ÂÂ
Matthew McGregor, of the anti-euro No Campaign, said: †œBritish people donââ‚ ¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢t want to be swallowed up in a single state with its own flag and anthem.ââ‚à ‚¬Ã‚ÂÂ
Dr Roland, of ViennaÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šà ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s Europa Academy, gave a CD of the song to Mr Prodi yesterday.
A European Commission spokesman said it was merely a †œpersonal giftââ‚ ¬Ã‚ÂÂ.
LEADING Eurosceptic Tory Sir Teddy Taylor, 66 ††MP for Rochford and Southend East ††is to stand down at the next General Election.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2004051431,00.html