I’m Backing Britain (1968)

In the early 1960s, the Union Jack was the most prevalent image in London. It appeared on every kind of accessory, from mugs to badges to shopping bags.

A group of five young Surbiton typists began it all in December 1967 when they agreed to stay and work an extra half hour a day for free at a firm called Colt Heating.

Within days, they had become front-page news, and many thousands followed their lead with echoes of reviving the Dunkirk Spirit – despite significant opposition from Trade Unions, who formally opposed the idea of additional work for no additional pay.

The media and establishment picked up on their idea. “Buy British” ads appeared in newspapers, and people were encouraged to wear T-shirts and badges emblazoned with “I’m Backing Britain” over a Union Jack.

The Duke of Edinburgh even lent his support, saying it was “the most heartening news I’ve heard in 1967”. The campaign was made much easier because, post-devaluation, the pound bought less overseas.

Tony Hatch and Jackie Trent even penned a song for Bruce Forsyth with the following lyrics:

I’m backing Britain
Yes, I’m backing Britain
We’re all backing Britain today
The feeling is growing
So let’s keep it going
The good times are blowing our way

Unfortunately, the campaign lost some of its momentum when it was discovered that a batch of T-shirts bearing the “I’m Backing Britain” slogan had been manufactured in Portugal.

By Easter 1968, the campaign was dead and buried.