Behind the 14-mile sea wall at Canvey Island, little was going on to celebrate St George’s Day, which the right-wing broadcaster took as a sign of national shame.
In an ‘exclusive’ report, GB News mourned the demise of St George’s Day spirit in England’s most English town.
“’People are scared!’ England’s most English town admits why ‘embarrassed’ locals won’t celebrate St George’s Day,” screamed the headline.
The story is centred on Canvey Island, which GB News describes as a “beleaguered bastion of English patriotism” nestled on the banks of the River Thames in Essex. According to the 2021 Census – four-year old data GB News eagerly revisits – nearly three-in-10 locals identified as English only, with another 16.9% going for both English and British.
But behind the 14-mile sea wall, little was going on to celebrate St George’s Day, which the right-wing broadcaster took as a sign of national shame.
Enter pensioner Terry White, who tells GB News: “Englishness is really important. I’d do something for St George’s Day but people are too scared.”
“We should do something for St George’s Day, VE Day and Churchill Day. Other countries, especially America and Australia, are proud and we should be too,” he continued.
Not satisfied with the views of one patriotic pensioner, the report calls in another. ‘Tweed-clad pensioner’ John Sutton, said: “I’m very proud to be English and I’ll be spending St George’s Day with my daughter in Grays. But it’s such a shame we don’t do more. I just think people are embarrassed.”
“Even if you look at Scotland with St Andrew’s Day, I’m half Scottish, we just don’t do anything. It’s such a shame and it’s only going to get worse,” he continued.
The article pines for the parades and parties enjoyed by the Irish, Welsh and Scots on their respective national days, informing: “The Irish diaspora also sent St Patrick’s Day celebrations far from the Emerald Isle, with this year’s parades stretching from San Francisco to Sydney.
“Britain also holds major celebrations for the Welsh-born patron saint, leaving many English people bamboozled as to why the same affection is not shown towards St George.”.
Vanessa Jayne, who we’re not informed whether she’s a pensioner or not, adds her view:
“Unfortunately, St George’s Day doesn’t seem to be celebrated much at all. We should make something of it, like everyone else does for St Patrick’s Day.”
Then comes a classic GB News quip – Easter-gate. The article reignites fury over a primary school that cancelled its Easter service “in the name of inclusivity.” A sure sign, in GB News’ world, that tradition is under siege.
To make matters worse for GB News and the residents of Canvey Island, there was confusion about when St George’s Day actually is this year.
The Church of England did in fact move England’s patron saint day from April 23 because no saint’s day can take place in the week before or after Easter.
A note issued by the church says: “When St George’s Day or St Mark’s Day falls between Palm Sunday and the Second Sunday of Easter inclusive, it is transferred to the Monday after the Second Sunday of Easter.
“If both fall in this period, St George’s Day is transferred to the Monday and St Mark’s Day to the Tuesday.”
Dear oh dear, poor old GB News getting its knickers in a twist over the lack of celebration for England’s national day in England’s most English town when it wasn’t actually the national day.
The irony didn’t go unnoticed.
“Hot on the heels of “you’re not allowed to call Easter Eggs Easter Eggs anymore” comes “we’re too scared to celebrate St George’s Day.
“The thing is though, this bastion of Englishness doesn’t even know that St George’s Day has been moved by the church to 28th April this year because it clashes with Easter week,” posted Leeds for Europe.
“This is why I block everything from GB NOT NEWS,” was another comment.
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