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Don't celebrate first world war, says minister in charge of centenary Don't celebrate first world war, says minister in charge of centenary
(7 months later)
Britain’s first world war victory should not be celebrated with Britain’s first world war victory should not be celebrated with “dancing in the street”, the Conservative minister in charge of the UK’s centenary remembrances has said.
“dancing in the street”, the Conservative minister in charge of the UK’s centenary remembrances has said. Helen Grant said although the war was an “absolute vital victory” for Britain there should be no “triumphant fanfares” throughout the next four years of commemorations.
Helen Grant said although the war was an “absolute vital victory”
for Britain there should be no “triumphant fanfares” throughout the next
four years of commemorations.
Her comments add to the controversy over how the four-year conflict should be remembered 100 years on.Her comments add to the controversy over how the four-year conflict should be remembered 100 years on.
She wrote in The Lady: “We won’t be shying away from the She wrote in The Lady: “We won’t be shying away from the fact that, in the end, it was an absolutely vital victory for us that changed the course of world history in countless ways, but we won’t be celebrating that fact or sounding triumphant fanfares.
fact that, in the end, it was an absolutely vital victory for us that “Don’t forget that as well as changing history, the conflict claimed the lives of around 16 million people across the world, and injured a further 20 million.
changed the course of world history in countless ways, but we won’t be
celebrating that fact or sounding triumphant fanfares.
“Don’t forget that as well as changing history, the conflict
claimed the lives of around 16 million people across the world, and
injured a further 20 million.
“The tone has to be right, not four years of gloom and misery, but no dancing in the street either.”“The tone has to be right, not four years of gloom and misery, but no dancing in the street either.”
Her comments follows a row sparked by the education secretary, Michael Her comments follows a row sparked by the education secretary, Michael Gove, when he suggested popular shows like Blackadder were being used as a propaganda tool by “leftwing academics”. Gove told the Daily Mail that the left insisted on peddling myths about the first world war, which had served to “denigrate virtues such as patriotism, honour and courage”.
Gove, when he suggested popular shows like Blackadder were being used as a He wrote: “The conflict has, for many, been seen through the fictional prism of dramas such as Oh! What A Lovely War, The Monocled Mutineer and Blackadder, as a misbegotten shambles – a series of catastrophic mistakes perpetrated by an out-of-touch elite. Even to this day there are leftwing academics all too happy to feed those myths.”
propaganda tool by “leftwing academics”. Gove told the Daily Mail that the left insisted on peddling myths
about the first world war, which had served to “denigrate virtues such
as patriotism, honour and courage”.
He wrote: “The conflict has, for many, been seen through the
fictional prism of dramas such as Oh! What A Lovely War, The Monocled
Mutineer and Blackadder, as a misbegotten shambles – a series of
catastrophic mistakes perpetrated by an out-of-touch elite. Even to this
day there are leftwing academics all too happy to feed those myths.”
His remarks saw him clash with the Blackadder star Sir Tony Robinson who accused Gove of making a “very silly mistake”.His remarks saw him clash with the Blackadder star Sir Tony Robinson who accused Gove of making a “very silly mistake”.
The shadow education secretary, Tristram Hunt, also waded into the The shadow education secretary, Tristram Hunt, also waded into the argument, condemning the Conservatives for attempting to politicise the 2014 anniversary of the start of the war. The deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, later stepped in to insist the government was taking a “dispassionate” reflection of the lessons learnt from the “shocking scale of bloodshed”.
argument, condemning the Conservatives for attempting to politicise the On Thursday night Hunt told the Times that following Ms Grant’s comments he was pleased the government had now adopted a more reflective and respectful tone.
2014 anniversary of the start of the war. The deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, later stepped in to insist the
government was taking a “dispassionate” reflection of the lessons learnt
from the “shocking scale of bloodshed”.
On Thursday night Hunt told the Times that following Ms Grant’s comments he was pleased the government had
now adopted a more reflective and respectful tone.