No singing 'Rule Britannia', please, we're British

Just as the World Cup and Queen's Golden Jubilee threatened to bring naked displays of patriotism back into fashion, perhaps Britain's greatest piece of nationalistic breast-beating has breathed its last.

The BBC has decided to bring down the curtain on the annual rendition of "Rule, Britannia" at the Last Night of the Proms. The change means there will be no solo singer this year to lead the audience through the seven jingoistic verses and choruses of the raucous Malcolm Sargent version. Instead they will have to make do with the original, instrumental version, which is part of Henry Wood's "Fantasia on British Sea Songs". Leonard Slatkin, the American chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, said they were only reflecting the public's own ambivalence towards the popular anthem.

"We have had a lot of letters saying that it is time to get rid of "Rule, Britannia", and I must admit I am not completely comfortable with playing it," he told the Radio Times today. " 'Rule, Britannia' does seem a little militaristic, and though it's wonderful to celebrate who you are and have faith in your country, I don't think we should exclude others. The Last Night of the Proms is an important occasion; in Japan they get up at 4am to watch it. Anyway, I'm not certain the sentiments of the words resonate in the way some people think they should. It does seem a little outdated."

"Rule, Britannia" and "Land of Hope and Glory" were dropped last year because the Last Night was the weekend after 11 September and they were deemed inappropriate to the prevailing mood of shock.

Although the BBC was criticised, many found the alternative, less rabble-rousing programme more agreeable.

A BBC spokeswoman said yesterday: "Leonard Slatkin is greatly looking forward to conducting the Last Night in 2002 with the traditional elements of the programme restored."

"Land of Hope and Glory" (Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance March No 1") and "Jerusalem" will be played as normal.