Stand up for England

Yesterday I was browsing through the BBC iPlayer and I noticed they had program categories for ‘Northern Ireland’, Scotland and Wales.

As “Chad” would have said “Wot no England?”

No, the BBC do not recognise England as a country.

So today is my “Stand up for England” day.

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Old England ain’t a country what’s ruled by Gestapos,

By blokes dressed up in uniforms and goodness only knows.

You sees a copper now an’ then but if you ain’t on the twist,

They treats you matey an’ polite, there ain’t no mailed fist;

An’ I want to keep it just like that!

Yes, I want to keep it just like that!

This England’s full of freedom for blokes like me an’ you,

Make no mistake we treasure it an’ are fighting for it too.

I don’t allow nobody for to dictate fings to me,

Excepting p’raps the missus…still that’s ‘ow it ort to be;

An’ I mean to keep it just like that!

Yes, I mean to keep it just like that!

When the Queen signed the 1992 Maastricht Treaty, this country adopted the EU Regionalisation Plan. This abolished England's 48 counties and replaced them with 9 European regions, each with its own Regional Capital, who reports directly to Brussels, not to Westminster.

This effectively obliterates the country of England.

For example the County of Cornwall is replaced by the South West Region, which stretches from Lands End and includes Gloucestershire and Wiltshire; its regional capital is Exeter

After the EU abolishes our 48 counties your address will change from 4 High St, Taunton, Somerset, Great Britain, to 4 High St, Taunton, Area K, European Union.

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Save our Counties.

The English summer has changed.

The cylinder lawnmower has disappeared.

The tartan picnic rug has been waterproofed

with sticky-back plastic and yet one

20th century item has remained constant,

…..the Panama hat.

This stylish headgear is more than a smart accessory,

It identifies an Englishman,

It is a statement of patriotic standing.

It is an old friend reborn with the arrival of the high sun,

It is the raffish stamp of the civilised Englishman.

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My “stamp of a civilised Englishman”.

"Wot, no cylinder lawnmowers?

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Cylinder lawnmowers are still alive and well in Filey, Yorkshire and that's because Stan Hardwick has 365 different mowers to try out.

The retired greenkeeper is fascinated by the machines and owns every type imaginable. Some date back to the mid-19th century.

With the grudging consent of his wife Margaret, 68, Mr Hardwick keeps his favourite examples in the conservatory and the front room for visitors to admire. The rest are stored in a huge two-storey shed at the bottom of the back garden.

Mr Hardwick, 69, who has been dubbed the Lawn Ranger, said: 'Some of my mates think I'm mad, but pals I know from greenkeeping are quite interested.

And, if you've got a few minutes, here's a new song that's just popped up on YouTube.

There.......I feel better now!