(CLG) Khan: Celebrate best of British on St George's Day

Cohesion Minister Sadiq Khan has called on communities to use St George's Day to celebrate the best of British values.

This year there have already been successful parades where communities have defied the critics and united to fly the flag and enjoy this traditional day of celebration.

The latest Citizenship Survey published today also confirms that people feel a strong sense of belonging both to their neighbourhoods and to Britain.

Of those questioned, 84 per cent reported feeling a strong sense of belonging to Britain, while nearly four out of five said they feel a strong sense of belonging to their neighbourhoods - including 36 per cent feeling that they very strongly belong, up from 27 per cent in 2003.

On a visit to the Royal British Legion in Rotherham, where he thanked members for putting their lives on the line, Sadiq Khan said:

"There is a long tradition in this country of local people supporting celebrations and marking special days in their communities. St George's Day is an important date in our calendar and as England's national day, should be a time when we all reflect what is good about our community.

"It is a particular pleasure to visit the Royal British Legion on St George's Day. The values that St. George represents are those of the Legion: courage, commitment and compassion. They are the best of British values.

"For too long we have seen the flag hijacked by those who spread race hate or people shying away from a celebration of English culture and history because of a fear of offending somebody. We should not let these people spoil this celebration which is an opportunity to show the true spirit of this country - one of inclusiveness, tolerance and friendship.

"Let us all celebrate England's proud history and the strength of different communities living together side by side."

Global Plan for Recovery and Reform

G20 leaders have committed to make an additional $1.1 trillion available to help the world economy through the crisis and to restore credit, growth and jobs.

Leaders of the world’s major economies also pledged to “clean up” the global banking system while committing not to resort to protectionism.

Announcing the outcome of the G20 Summit, Gordon Brown said the parties at the meeting had drawn up six pledges to shorten the recession.

These included repairing the financial system to restore lending, and doing “what it takes” to restore global growth.

They also pledged to fund and reform international financial institutions, act decisively to kick-start international trade, and to build an inclusive, green and sustainable recovery.

The Prime Minister said:

“We will not hesitate as long as people are losing their jobs and their homes to make the difference that we can by improving their prosperity. Today’s actions of course will not immediately solve the crisis. But we have begun the process by which they will be solved.”

Gordon Brown added:

“These are not just a single collection of actions. This is a collective action – people working together at their best.”

The measures that leaders agreed to in the statement titled Global Plan for Recovery and Reform included:

- trebling resources available to the International Monetary Fund to $750 billion

- ensuring $250 billion of support for trade finance

- using the additional resources from agreed IMF gold sales for concessional finance for the poorest countries

- establishing a new Financial Stability Board (FSB) with a strengthened mandate to collaborate with the IMF to provide early warning of macroeconomic risks

- extending regulation and oversight to all systemically important financial institutions, instruments and markets, including hedge funds

- taking action against non-cooperative jurisdictions, including tax havens

- calling for the heads and senior leadership of the international financial institutions to be appointed through an open, transparent, and merit-based selection process

- refraining from raising new barriers to investment or to trade in goods and services