Must admit I'm disappointed in Simon Emmerson re Tam Lyn. I'm not one for fuelling the English/Scottish divide, but to come out with lines like
"...it's also about honouring England's distinctive traditions" is just asking for a slagging.
A dash of African , Indian, Scottish or any other cultural influence is welcome and should be encouraged, gives a nice internationalist feel to what's being hyped as a very English project, but to lay claim to Tam Lyn as part of England's heritage is ludicrous.
Countless folk-tales have differnet national versions but Tam Lyn, Greg, is rare in being a distinctly Scottish tale. It deals with specific locations, anmes and, indeed traditions.
I've no objection to S.E setting up a celebration of English tradition, but to start re-inventing English traditions by poaching otheres is a bit much.