What's happened
Keir Starmer's choice of Beethoven's Ode to Joy as the embodiment of Labour Party values has sparked debate
Why it matters
The selection of the EU anthem as a symbol of Labour Party values has sparked debate and raised eyebrows, given the anthem's controversial history and political connotations
What the papers say
The Times reports Conservative Party chairman Richard Holden's criticism of Starmer's choice, while The Independent and The Telegraph provide background on the controversial history and political connotations of Beethoven's Ode to Joy
How we got here
Keir Starmer's selection of Beethoven's Ode to Joy as the embodiment of Labour Party values has sparked debate and raised eyebrows, given the anthem's controversial history and political connotations
More on these topics
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Sir Keir Rodney Starmer KCB QC MP is a British politician and former lawyer who has served as Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition since 2020. He has been Member of Parliament for Holborn and St Pancras since 2015.
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The Labour Party is a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom that has been described as an alliance of social democrats, democratic socialists and trade unionists.
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The European Union is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. Its members have a combined area of 4,233,255.3 kmĀ² and an estimated total population of about 447 million.
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The Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125, is a choral symphony, the final complete symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven, composed between 1822 and 1824. It was first performed in Vienna on 7 May 1824.
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Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist; his music is amongst the most performed of the classical music repertoire, and he is one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music.