A CALL for pro-European songs to be dropped from the programme of the Wiltshire Junior Music Festival has been rejected by the council's Cabinet.
The competition for primary schools takes place on Wednesday, March 26 and includes in its programme five songs on a European theme.
In February, the Evening Advertiser reported that Windmill Hill Primary School in Freshbrook had dropped out of the festival because it felt the songs were biased in favour of the EU.
Last night Steve Reed, from Glastonbury, used public questions to ask the council to drop the songs from the festival programme.
He said: "Children in Swindon are being trained to sing ditties in honour of the regime in Brussels.
"Exploiting the formative years of children in this way is political indoctrination."
Council leader Kevin Small (Lab, Western) said: "They are five songs viewing key events in Europe since the Second World War.
"The council music service is not trying to promote any political agenda.
"The pieces were chosen purely for their musical content."
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