It's very fashionable these days to knock the Last Night of the Proms as a display of misplaced imperialistic nationalism. In these days following the decline and fall of the British Empire we are left without a clear view of the UK's place in the world, and a predictable reaction follows whenever something harkens back to those days when Britain happily threw its weight around and got away with it.

Now I'm no imperialist. Heaven forbid. I'm firmly in the 'nationalism is evil' camp, and am with Samuel Johnson in believing that patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel. This, however, is not to say I'm against a fun and waving the flag, as long as no one takes it seriously. And quite frankly no one has taken the Last Night seriously for decades.

I leave it as an exercise for those panicky souls who feel threatened to tell me just what is so bad about thousands of people picnicking in the park, dancing and singing with abandon, waving not just the Union Flag but those of England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Canada, NZ, Australia, France, Italy, Romania and God knows what else (one person was somewhat conspicuous with a Jolly Roger) and really just having a good time. Further, this is England - the abandon within was mirrored by the stiff upper lip without: flags were put away and everyone once more retreated behind that mask that is a necessity for life in over-populated London. Hardly a threat to the new liberal Britain.

And let us not forget that the Last Night this year was hardly a jingoistic fest of Britishness - the Albert Hall has a programme of Russian Music, Hyde Park has the theme from Pirates of the Caribbean and Lionel Richie, and Glasgow has mad Scotsmen imitated motorbikes with a trombone. In short, a fitting end to one of the world's greatest festivals of music. Long may it continue.