The BBC announced that after the controversy about whether Rule Britannia! and Land Of Hope And Glory were to be sung or only played instrumentally, both pieces will be sung by a group of the BBC Singers at the Last Night of the Prom’s.
The British broadcaster previously said, said the hymns were to be played only, since due to Covid-19, a choir was not allowed in the concert. In fact, however, the BBC wanted to avoid criticism, since these songs are deeply associated with the UK’s colonial past. This came after the anti-racist demonstrations linked to the Black Lives Matter movement and the debate over colonial symbols in the UK. At the end, the BBC ended up being criticized by many nationalists and far-right politicians who, apparently won the battle.
