I'm Backing Britain - Popular Campaign

Popular Campaign

On Monday 8 January, Pye Records issued a 45 rpm single supporting the campaign. Written by Tony Hatch and Jackie Trent, and sung by Bruce Forsyth, the chorus included "The feeling is growing, so let's keep it going, the good times are blowing our way". All involved in making the single took cuts in their fees or royalties so that the single sold for 5s. instead of the going rate of 7s. 4½d. Forsyth happily endorsed the campaign, saying "The country has always done its best when it is up against the wall. If everyone realises what we are up against we can get out of trouble easily." However, the song did not make the charts; it sold only 7,319 copies.

The most visible manifestation of the campaign was in the Union Flags which begin to be put on shopping bags; even the Prime Minister noted that everyone seemed to be carrying them. Postmaster General Edward Short encouraged the Royal Mail to introduce an "I'm Backing Britain" franking mark, which was used on 84 million letters passing through 125 Post Offices between 9 and 29 February. Increased visibility of the Union Flag distressed some commentators. Philip French, writing in the New Statesman, described being "constantly confronted" by the flag as "one of the more painful aspects" of the campaign.

The campaign found expression in the giving of conscience money to the Exchequer, as noted by The Guardian's Financial Editor William Davis; in the middle of January it was observed that every postal delivery to the Treasury contained letters offering gifts. If the letter specified that the money was to pay off the Government debt, the funds were paid into the Debt Redemption Fund; otherwise the Consolidated Fund was the beneficiary. Disc jockey Jimmy Savile found his own way to support the campaign by volunteering to work nine days as a hospital porter at Leeds General Infirmary over two months, stating that at his rate of pay, nine days' work would have earned him £1,600.