He said some of the later verses of the anthem refer to "rebellious Scots" being crushed and should be changed, Britain's Daily Telegraph reported Monday.

"Part of it is not actually that inclusive, but that's if you go on to the later verses," said Goldsmith. "Some people have suggested we might think about whether there are different words that might be put in place which would be more inclusive."

It was made clear that Goldsmith's plan is not backed by Gordon Brown, who actually represents a Scottish constituency.

"This does not reflect the government's views," said a Downing Street spokesman. "We are proud of our national anthem and the traditions it represents."