BBC anthem unhappy reminder for Scots

EDINBURGH, Scotland, April 29 (UPI) -- Scottish patriots have urged the BBC to find another tune for its World Cup anthem.

The problem, at least north of the border, is that "See The Conquering Hero Comes" with music by Handel was written in honor of the Duke of Cumberland. In Scotland, the duke is remembered as Butcher Cumberland, the man responsible for the massacre of the Battle of Culloden in 1745, the final defeat of Bonnie Prince Charlie.

Rob Gibson, who represents the Highlands and Islands in the Scottish Parliament, told The Scotsman he thinks the BBC is often "Anglo centric."

He asked, "How can they possibly encourage people to support the England team when we are exposed to symbols of oppression like this?

The version the BBC uses for events like the World Cup has been tricked out with a new name, "Sports Prepare."

But to Ted Cowan, professor of Scottish History at the University of Glasgow, the song is a reminder of how Culloden has been misrepresented as a battle between English and rebellious Scots when both countries were represented in both armies.

"I think it's pretty tactless to revive something like that," he said.