David Cameron: Now more than ever we need Britannia as symbol of unity
As the depth of feeling for The Mail on Sunday campaign has shown, Britannia is one of those powerful symbols.
She first appeared as a goddess almost 2,000 years ago when the Romans created her as a personification of the British Isles.
She was on a Roman coin during the rule of Emperor Hadrian. And she made her first appearance on a British coin in 1672.
Saving Britannia isn't about being averse to change. It's just about being averse to change for change's sake.
Indeed, it's about being against change which could actually cause harm.
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Strident: A model posing as Britannia with sackloads of protest slips destined for Downing Street in our campaign
Right now, Britain must answer the age-old question of how we all live together – of how people from different backgrounds can live side by side in unity.
I've been saying for a long time that state multiculturalism has failed our country.
It has encouraged people to live separate lives, apart from each other and apart from the mainstream.
What we desperately need to do now is to build a society which is held together by a strong sense of shared purpose and shared history.
A society which encourages active citizenship. And a society which inspires people to join in.
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Clarion call: Tory leader David Cameron says we desperately need symbols of national unity after the failure of multiculturalism
Symbols like Britannia are an important part of that – it's about understanding where we have come from to show where we can go.
That's why a Conservative government would reverse this decision and make sure Britannia returns to our coins.
Gordon Brown talks about values – liberty, fair play and openness.
But Britishness isn't just about values.
It's also about institutions, attachment to our monarchy, admiration for our armed forces, understanding of our history and recognising the powerful symbols that tie us together as a nation.
