CRITICS of the One Britain One Nation "anthem" should reflect "with shame" on their stance, the organisation's founder has said.
Former police inspector Kash Singh was speaking today at Carlton Bolling College in West Yorkshire, where he watched as a group of Year 7 students, limited due to Covid restrictions, sang the OBON song in the school hall.
The anthem was written by children at St John’s CE Primary School in Bradford, and is being sung by youngsters at different schools around the UK.
The song, which begins “We are Britain and we have one dream, to unite all people in one great team”, attracted widespread criticism and ridicule after the Department for Education (DfE) supported schools marking OBON Day.
One parent of a pupil asked to participate told The National they were concerned the event was "creepy".
Asked if he was disappointed by the critics, Singh said: “So, I understand, but I don’t understand and I cannot accept that people with a profile, people with a personality, people who are known and respected, humiliate and undermine seven, eight, nine-year-old kids singing a wonderful song, regardless of whether the words are this or that.
“You’ve got to look at the sincere intention.
“Disappointed, but that’s their problem, not the problem of children, and not the problem of the school. And it’s something they need to reflect on with shame.”
Singh said: “I’m so proud of that school and I think everybody in the country needs to be proud that the school is bringing about kids who have that kind of mindset.”
READ MORE: 'One Britain One Nation' group branded 'creepy' by parent as outrage erupts
He said: “It’s their words. Those kids are not connected with any form of politics or nothing.
“They are innocent souls. All they want to do is spread the message of unity and pride.
“I’ve watched 300 or 400 kids singing that song. In my whole career in the police I’d never seen anything like that. The passion, the love, the sincere intentions.”
Singh, who said he came to Britain as a six-year-old speaking no English, founded the One Britain One Nation organisation in 2013 after he left the police in 2012.
Singh said OBON Day last year was curtailed due to the pandemic and he thought this year’s celebrations were inspiring despite not being able to have large groups singing together.
He said: “This year normally you would see 1000 kids outside and you would have parents here and people from the community, all with one purpose.”
He said the theme this year was “respect”, with a focus on thanking everyone who helped the country through the pandemic.
READ MORE: One Britain One Nation: Nicola Sturgeon delivers scathing verdict
All the children at Carlton Bolling College joined him for a minute’s clapping to thank key workers from their classrooms.
Singh said: “This is not a Government initiative, this is not a DfE initiative, and I think that’s where people have got it wrong.”
Some on social media likened the song to something children might experience in North Korea, and Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she first assumed the UK Government’s backing for the idea was a “spoof”.
Mr Singh launched OBON Day 2021 earlier this week at St John’s CE Primary School with married Tory MPs Philip Davies and Esther McVey.
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