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Your view: What does it mean to be British?
(Filed: 27/07/2005) What is Britishness and what are fundamental British values?
A YouGov survey for The Daily Telegraph has found that Britons' sense of national identity depends more on shared values and institutions than on nostalgia for warm beer or cricket. Now is your chance to give your views on what it means to be British. Are you proud to be British? What are the key values that define your identity? Send your views, including your name and where you live, to newsfeedback@telegraph.co.uk. A selection of your comments will be published throughout the day. Here are some of your views:
The Office, Little Britain, Men Behaving Badly etc. That's 'British'. Laughing at others knowing full well we are laughing at ourselves. From surviving the Blitz to sending a dustbin full of cobbled-together electronics to nose dive into Mars - to be British is to have an extraordinary sense of humour. It is the prerequisite to all our endeavours and the forge for all our views. It's how we survive failure and tragedy and how we celebrate victory. The media may have forgotten it, the Government may have legislated against it, but we ordinary serfs are still having a good laugh with it. Gary Legg, Farncombe, Surrey When I read the articles on what it means to British, Mr Deedes' opinion column and, most of all, the comments from readers, I was overcome with emotion and joy. There are actually people who still share a pride in Britishness! As an expat Brit, I too am immensely proud to be British. I am proud of our history and of our institutions. We invented the political, legal and economic systems that define the modern world and our example and experience is the guiding light for all of the successful democracies. Our small island has had, and continues to have, a huge influence on the world. Despite the best efforts of Left to undermine our sense of pride in Britain, it still thrives. Kenneth G D Allen, Colorado, USA As regards traditional British values, we have now had three generations who have been specifically taught to denigrate and ridicule them. To see and hear people who have accepted this teaching, and who have never practised or supported those values in their daily lives, now jumping up and down proclaiming that they've always held them - well, it reminds me of my experiences in the Army in North Italy at the end of the war, when just about every one of Mussolini's 'eight million bayonets' was eager to explain that "really, he'd always been on our side". Of course, if these people do accept and act upon their new-found enthusiasm for "Britishness", that would be splendid - but I'm not holding my breath. A Conn, Bristol I am very proud to be British and more so since I have been out of the UK due to work for nine years, but I look forward to returning. Since being overseas, I have spent more time understanding our history due to the questions I am asked and thus recognising more of what we have to be thankful for - most of which seemed to be reflected in the survey. Outsiders note in awe the quality of the Britsh education system but I wonder, given its lack of presence in the survey, whether that still exists for Britons today. I was however surprised to see the high sense of pride Britons feel but don't seem to show. I noted my own pride at the Olympic prize and the recognition Lord Coe has received for this. Hopefully we can use this honor to awaken our collective self-esteem and achieve the resurgence of Great Britain. Paul A Wardle, New Jersey, USA Lucky to be born in the prettiest place in the world among some of the most benevolent, caring, intelligent and compassionate people. Bob Miller, Essex As an expat who has never been inclined to changed her citizenship, being British means having a sense of fairness and consideration for others. Being British means considering the options before actions take place and having valid reasons for taking those actions. Being British means having a real sense of history and learning from our past mistakes. Sue Hains, Ontario, Canada I'm a hugely proud Englishman and a hugely proud Brit. Living abroad these last few years has given me an even better appreciation of the worth of our nation and just how much our small island has given to the world. Are we perfect? Of course not, nor does our society lack the vices common to most industrialised nations, but our characteristic decency, fortitude, sense of humour and fair play, and the freedom and toleration we so easily take for granted are all things that inspire a love of country within and act as a beacon for other people throughout the world. Andrew Robinson, Vancouver, Canada I am proud to be British. I am proud to be a Yorkshirewoman. I feel that being British isn't something to be ashamed of, nor is it bigoted prejudice. Britishness doesn't really cover things like accent or skin tone, but more a sense of history and dignity. Also I do not think that Britishness encourages slandering other countries, even the French, with whom we have many disputes and many family ties. To me, Britishness means Good Form, Decency, Rain Stops Play and glorious summer evenings. All right, it also includes being stuck on the M25 when I go North to visit my family, but the joy of being British is that the bad things are glossed over. Caryn Smith, Sussex A country's worth may be estimated solely by the values embraced by its people. Those values, fashioned over time, are a consequence of reactions to historical forces. They define the type of people of which they form part. Britain's people, if not the best in the world, are amongst the best.Their greatest characteristic is their intrinsic decency. There are a myriad of others : their sense of fair play; courteousness; the manner in which adversity is confronted and their passionate love of freedom and justice. Yes, Britain has made mistakes, but what country has not? It has its share of criminals and ne'er-do-wells but so do all others. On balance, the way it runs its affairs is better than most - if not the best. Tony Warner, Wingham, Kent Being British conjures up notions of fair play, rounded education, good driving, respect for laws, standing up for rights and against injustice, sharp humour (irony, self-effacement, puns etc), sociability, appreciation of foreign people and customs (yes, I really mean that!), generosity in giving to charitable causes, invention and creativity, independence, tolerance and flexibility. We are certainly not perfect and perhaps we still cling too much to the “glorious” past but we represent a lot of what is good in the world. John Barry, Paris To be born British is to be lucky; to be born English is to be born blessed: to be born in Sussex is to have the winning ticket in the lottery of life. True Brits will laugh at this, because a true patriot recognises that whereas he knows that where he was born is the best place on earth, he understands that others (however wrong !) may have a different opinion. Nationalists feel the first, but deny the second. So, give me patriotism, please, but not nationalism: if this means no Land of Hope and Glory then so be it (as for 'I vow to thee my country', a definite no thanks). Graham Turner, Bath As most of these comments indicate, being British means being self-congratulatory, arrogant, pompous, and pathologically drawn to hiding our contempt for other countries behind veils of mock humility, largesse, and false altruism. We preach about our racial tolerance, yet in 4 years support for the BNP has moved from a few thousand votes to nearly 300,000 at the last election. We have derogatory nick-names for most foreigners, which are in daily use. I have never, ever heard a fellow countryman say how wonderful the French and the Italians are, and, despite them getting us out of trouble in WW2, we smear the Americans relentlessly. We are a nation of insincere double-talkers and incorrigable hypocrites. While we wallow in our undeniably great achievements, let us not forget we can be dismissive, self-serving opportunists. Robert Being British simply means living your life while maintaining good values of honesty, integrity, self-discipline and patriotism, as well as a consideration for others who hold to the same standards. That's how it was when I was a boy in the forties. Sadly, today, that's everything Blair and his wretched government do not stand for. Kenneth Clarke, Northants I have been thinking a lot about this lately, and think that all the things mentioned by your other correspondents boil down to just one concept: "Fair Play". Everything truly British is encompassed in that phrase - freedom, justice, respect for others, honesty and common sense - and everything the British really hate can be accurately characterised as a lack of fair play. Denis Smith, Norfolk I have lived in Canada for 31 years but still consider myself to be British - and proud of it. I am proud to be a member of a nation that has offered so much to the world in the form of medical discoveries, scientific breakthroughs, world leadership, social reforms, a political foundation that is copied and envied the world over, whose people have a wry sense of humour and are able to laugh at their own quirks and foibles and above all else a tolerance for others that has sometimes been stretched to the limit - but has not been broken. Gareth J Green, Niagara Falls, Canada I grew up in a magnificent, large cockney family, we had nothing to speak of materially, and we "got on with it" yet maintained a sense of pride and dignity. Having lived in the USA for 35 years I no longer romantazise about the past London I knew, nor the good manners, the safety or the supportive neighbourhoods. One has to be away from it for a while, and upon a return visit, see things now as they really are. I love my heritage and I love my memories of the city I grew up in, and I shall defend England's honour as long as I live. Barb Whitlock, Virginia/ex-Camberwell Being British now means accepting the fact that most countries in the world are able to criticise us, poke fun at us and show disrespect for our culture, heritage and history while we take it or face being accused of being an island of whingeing poms. Adrian North I'm proud to be British, and proud to be English, too. My job has kept me out of England for many years, but I remain an Englishman, as Gilbert wrote. Britishness implies a tolerance of almost anything, up to the 59th minute of the 11th hour at any rate. It turns away from excessive exhibition of emotion, be it patriotic, antagonistic, whatever. "Steady on, old chap" is a reprimand as effective as a mouthful of insult. We look at life from a slightly cock-eyed, wry, humorous viewpoint. Not smug - we laugh at ourselves as much as at others. We're proud of who we are, the freedoms for which we stand, but don't cram them down other peoples' throats nor pretend that we are their only champions. We embrace real progress, and are deeply cynical about change for change's sake. We preserve our heritage with just enough zeal to avoid stagnation. We're generally calm, understated, underestimated, and probably let too many take unfair advantage of us. The bulldog still has teeth, though, so don't push us too far. Roger French, Houston, Texas Fifty years of the welfare state has destroyed the concept of Britishness. The State-sponsored charity without judgement has caused generations of State-reliant people who do not share values of any worth. The most obvious traits are now brutishness, aggression, drunkeness, crime, disrespect and no concept of manners. These thugs have destroyed Britishness with the willing help of the State. This process seems to have accelerated under New Labour, which detests the past, as it does not fall under their control. John Roberts, Essex Britain is a beacon to the world. The best and brightest individuals from across the world want to study in Britain because of what its institutions have to offer. There is no need to “reinvent” Britishness for the post-colonial, post-devolution age. The essence of what it is to be British is already there, and it can be found in the world around you. Ethereal though it may be, “Britishness” cannot be easily summed up – however it includes an undying belief in the principles of democracy and the rule of law; a desire to construct a society that is free, just and inclusive; and, above all else, “Britishness” is stubborn hope. Andrew Bowles, Ontario, Canada Being British to me means that if we are tasked to do something we don’t just ‘do it’, we embrace it, we do it with style, panache and enthusiasm. I have no doubt that the world will see the best Olympics ever in 2012. Simply because we always produce the goods when we are given an opportunity to prove our worth to the world. Just wait and see. Steve Searle, Portsmouth Living for last three years in Paris I now see more clearly the great British traits: tolerance, understatement, intelligence, the willingness to listen to others (sadly lacking in some other places), a respect for the law without being subservient to it, a love of our countryside and our monuments, and above all the joy of conversation and a good joke shared (preferably over a warm pint). Add to this a dash of eccentricity and a good dose of looneys, and you have a healthy and heady mix which will continue to survive the worst the world can throw at us. The steel of the nation has been wrought from the fire of its history. Andrew Wilson, Paris Being British means having a respect and intellectual understanding of our institutions, and the continuity of our island life that they represent. It is to understand and accept that change comes about through evolution in society, not revolution. It means that when in doubt, we try and do the right thing and deploy a heavy dose of common sense. It means that when our political party does not win an election, and no matter how fiercely we disagree with the winners, that we become the Loyal Opposition. It means that we will tolerate any point of view, however outrageous, until it stops tolerating us. It means being able to laugh at ourselves and never take offence. It means that we will argue amongst ourselves, but be instantly united if our country is threatened. And, most importantly, it means that our patriotism is intellectual and born of a conviction that does not need to be expressed in words or flags because we are supremely comfortable and confident with who we are as a people. Mark Newdick, Danbury, CT, USA (Expat) To feel British is something you experience when you are away from Britain. Its green countryside. Safety when walking the streets. The fact that we band together against adversity. So many things have been invented in our country. Barry Ashcroft, Barnet, Herts As a British citizen living long term in Shanghai, China I have come to understand all that is great about being British. In Shanghai, when all are panicking around you, when it is considered acceptable to rush into a lift before you leave, to slam doors in other people's faces and push and shove in queues one comes to learn that there is a fundamental decency to being British. Superficial as these things are, they are fundamental to the way in which we deal with each other and also other cultures. Respect for other people, politeness and an understated personal appearance combined with an inner confidence, these are the values that are fundamental to being British. Chris, Shanghai Being British is a state of mind, not just a stamp on a passport or a place of birth. If you believe that right and wrong do exist and that the former is preferable, in tolerance for another’s views, in supporting his right to do something of which you disapprove as long as it does not materially harm others, and if you oppose the State interfering unnecessarily in people’s lives, you qualify as British. William Vincent, Sevenoaks, Kent I have always been proud to be an Englishman. British comes a close second. However, that pride is fast eroding. The values for which I held dear, justice, integrity of public officials, freedom of speech, safety on our streets, unarmed police officers, (of which I served 30 years!), are quickly dying. Barrie Hawkyard Being British is to proud of our history and its Christian values. It is about defending our country, our freedom and these values. It is about integration and acceptance of our values. It is remembering those who have given up their lives for the same and be prepared, without question, to follow in their footsteps. David Thijm, Stourbridge As a British-born dual citizen living in Australia, I treasure my innate British values as a moral compass that I suspect that citizens of "newer" countries do not have. Britain to me is like an old-fashioned parent: it looks after you if you're good, but doesn't lavish you with praise like the Americans would, lest you become big-headed; it will also look after you if you're bad, providing you show the appropriate level of remorse and promise to do better next time. If you're really bad, you're held up as a bad example and punished in front of your peers as a deterrent, but it won't abandon you. Lorraine, Australia Being British is: applauding the other team when they score. It’s being courteous to people serving me at a store. It’s giving way at a roundabout (somewhat nerve-wracking here) It’s helping my elderly next door neighbour for the pleasure of it. It’s respecting the values and traditions that were instilled into me by my parents along with a strong community spirit. It’s feeling profoundly satisfied with a Monarch who has served us faithfully for over 50 years. Linda, Sydney, Australia The joy of being a 'pom' in the Antipodes? Being the butt of a variety of 'whingeing' jokes, exasperation at our 'better luck next time' attitude to sport, and disbelief at our reserve in times of high drama. Most of all, and most gratifyingly, acknowledgment from all around me that there very few others in the world with the will and resolve not to be intimidated by those with corrupt and perverse ideology. Ian Matthews, New Zealand Being British means everything to me. After almost forty years in Brussels, I still have tears in my eyes for an identity that has now become practically virtual. Being born British is reflected in an almost Victorian education. School uniform, being caned (as in bamboo cane) or having a ruler slash your finger tips by a furious headmistress when only six years old. As a child, books by Enid Blyton, Bronte sisters or the silly Beano, the Famous Five (my method of escaping and no television). The Archers, strawberries and clotted cream. The hymns that we sung meaninglessly and repeatedly but today brings tears to my eyes. Being born British was my passport to success. Being British meant the liberators of WW2. Being English, unfortunately, has come to be associated with hooliganism, drunken holidaymakers and dare I continue... Ann Johnson, Brussels Most outstanding to me about being British (English with Scottish parents) is the sense of fair play and justice and wanting respect as you give to others. I am certainly not an EU fan, a long way from wanting a ‘super state’ being ruled from Brussels but I have respect for the individual European countries and for what they stand for. Now is the time to close ranks and be proud to be British, stand along side one another and support ourselves, be selfish to the point where we come first for a change and think of what is best for Britain and its loyal people. Rob, Wiltshire Britishness is reliance and on your friends and family rather than the state. This belief has allowed Britain to resist the statist doctrines of fascism, communism and socialism better than most. Worryingly, it is because they understand this so clearly, that the liberal left has waged a relentless war on the traditional married family. Divide the family and conquer the British? Lance Grundy, Liverpool As a child and young person I was very proud to be English. I was proud of the Empire, I was proud to sing Land of Hope and Glory, I was proud to be a Londoner during the Second World War. I am now no longer proud to be English. Free speech is being eroded almost daily, I no longer even know the names of my neighbours, let alone talk to them, and above all how can anyone be proud to be part of a nation which appears to be composed almost entirely of immoral, money mad people? Mrs R. Goulding, London While I agree pretty much with the findings of your poll, most of the virtues you celebrate and the people your respondents identify are in fact English - Amir Khan, for example, stated that he is 'English through and through'. Yet England is treated as the national equivalent of Middlesex, a forgotten administrative unit with no political existence. See the entry for England in the Encyclopedia Britannica. Your newspaper seems to rejoice in this yet the English constitute 84 per cent of the British people. Britain cannot be truly united until we can celebrate being English as well as being Scots, Welsh or Irish and for that we need to recognise the existence of England as a country within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Ian Campbell, Leatherhead, Surrey Being British means being proud of our history, for without it we have nothing to base our future on. It is irrelevant whether we agree with what happened in our country's past (as I am sure future generations will not like what we are doing now) history is a foundation to build on. If we had not had an Empire would we have such a diverse society as we do now? We need to be proud of all that we achieve. Being British also means in times of adversity getting on with life, supporting those weaker than ourselves, being a friend to others and a help to our neighbours. The British play by the rules, and enjoy Sunday pub lunches and still love cricket on the green. Sue Fletcher, France All Indians who have lived here and taken British nationality feel British, live British and value British ways of life and justice. This does not mean men have to visit pubs every day and women have to sleep around with every other guy. Britishness means tolerance, justice and fair play and practice of religion without harming others. The problem is for the indigenous population in accepting dark skinned people as Brits even if they are born, bred and brought up in Britain. Sridhar Rao, Bromley, Kent Britishness is believing:- That everyone has rights but they also have extensive responsibilities. That society depends on people giving as well as receiving. That those who fail to observe our laws should be punished effectively. That there is no such thing as a free lunch. That never winning a cricket match against Australia is not the end of the world. That we are not a soft touch for people who would rather not live in their own countries. That one of these days we will get a government that we can be proud of. That our Armed Forces are still the best in the world. That our countryside is beautiful. That our dreadful weather should be the subject of most conversations. That out TV is light years better than the Americans. That our public transport is endearingly awful and will never noticeably improve. That after reaching a certain age everyone is required to listen to Terry Wogan every morning. That a roast meal must be eaten on Sundays. That a day on the beach should never be put off just because it might be raining. That we all thoroughly enjoy reading the scandals in the News of the World but few of us will admit it. John Davies, Hampshire Yes, I'm very proud to be British. I may not live in England anymore but 'till the day I die, I will always be proud to be able to say I'm British. I'm proud of British strength, and common decency. I'm proud that I was able to serve in the W.R.A.F. I'm proud of all the British people from the past and present who withstood the bombings of the wars, and of all the British people who worked hard and instilled in their children the values that makes the British who they are today. Please don't let your politicians, bow down to the EU and let them destroy British ways. No-one but the British people should dictate the future of Great Britain, too many good people have died to keep Great Britain. Maureen Biller There are Scotsmen, there are Welshmen, there are Irishmen. When asked, I call myself an Englishman, not for any reason other than I was born in England. I was born in north east London in 1937. At three years of age I was sent off to somewhere in Essex with my gasmask, but was back home with my parents by 1944. People all across the British Isles from around my generation have good reason for patriotism and love of country, if only for support and admiration for the brave souls who laid down their lives for our freedom and the comradery of the people at home. However in 60 years things have become watered down drastically, most Brits - 25 or under - have never heard of Churchill, Nelson. And the Victoria Cross is just another train station somewhere in London. Come what may, I am an Englishman, away for 38 years, now retired, and back for two months each year to see all I have missed or never ever saw. More reason to be proud of one's heritage is the coming together of all Brits at the VE Day and Trafalgar Day celebrations and the steadfast reaction against misinformed hooligans, this witnessed by the whole free world. Reasons in order of importance for me leaving the UK, trade unions undermining the auto industry in which I worked, the English weather and a quest for adventure. Alan Stevens, California, USA My idea of someone who is British is one who can take a camera, as Constable took his brushes, and capture the surroundings with a sense of appreciation and care. There should be a hidden talent to innovate and adapt to introductions of the styles that the new arrivals to the country inevitably bring. Finally a sense of tolerance that other parties have a point of view with less of the idea that the world revolves around themselves. Try levelling up not levelling down. Ian Smith, Bournemouth Since the last election I have felt deeply ashamed to be British. Until then, the atrocity of the invasion of Iraq was the responsibility of the Blair Government, without a mandate from the people. With the re-election of Blair, that shame now rests completely with the British people. This is the democracy we are trying to impose on the Arab nations in return for their oil. Norman Wilcox, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Tradition for fair play, justice and the way of life. Sadly it is on a slow decline. Stan Smith, Lincoln Being British means nothing to me, but I am very proud to be English. If you holiday in Europe people ask if you are British, you can guess my answer. If you holiday in the States people ask if you are English now that is respect. Stuart V J Perchard I'm sorry, to spoil the party, but in common with more and more people, I do not accept that I am British. I am English, (and want Jerusalem as our national anthem). England, the country that dare not speak it's name - Churchill. The nation that makes up 85 per cent of the population of the UK, that contributes the most to the UK, that is being robbed and pillaged by this Scots dominated government, (via the Barnnett Formula). Since Scots devolution and the Welsh Assembly, the concept of Britain is finished. The problem is, it won't lie down whilst this government props it up in an attempt to support the Celtic Fringe at England's expense. JA Franklin, Orpington, Kent As a child brought up during the war, we were marched from the school to the nearest cenotaph, where we sang hymns and Land of Hope and Glory and Jerusalem. Bonny Colne (the town we lived in) and others, being told what a great country we were. We went back to school feeling so proud to be British. To this day, I still get a lump in my throat and puff up with pride when I hear these tunes even though I am 69 and am often ashamed of some of the things done in our country's name. D Crew As an Englishman I am proud to be a gentleman, to lose gracefully and to stand in queues. Oliver Clark, London My view of Britishness is the antithesis of almost everything of the New Labour project. Michael Ford Bolton, Lancs |
