National identity

[reeves4england]

I always put British on forms simply because that's what it says in my passport!

I don't have a problem with being called English and British. I do get annoyed with foreigners who don't know the difference though!  For example, I've just been in Russia and spent one week of the time there teaching English to students on a beach camp. I was annoyed because it was called 'British Camp'. That's probably just because I'm a pedant though, rather than a nationalist!

[janaage]

Yeah, it's all Browns fault. Before him Blair, Major, Thatcher, Heath, Wilson, Chamberlain, etc, etc (I know I left some of the twats out)
You get the government you deserve and, because we are all spineless, quivering, apathetic examples of humanity we get the same sorry shit, time after time.............

Hertha I always thought you were a kraut.  Serious.

As for the you get the govt you deserve I agree, we, as a nation (GB), are a bunch of moaning sit on our arse and complain cock-knockers.  We should protest more, be more passionate about the demise of this once great land.  If we're not happy about something let's let the authorities know about it, bit like the Francais do.

"Allons enfants de la patrie, le jour de gloire est arrivé..."

[flammableBen]

Also, the french have a good national anthem.

[herthab]

Not a kraut Jan. I was born in Berlin, where my dad was serving in the Royal Military Police.

[janaage]

Ah fair enough, genuine point wasn't trying to fish.

[leefer]

English....born in Southampton,but now a proud Swindonian,people who say Britain has no culture talk rubbish,i travel the country week in and week out and our country is amazingly diverse.For example we are only an hour away from the Welsh Valleys ware its a completly different world from ours,obviously the language and tradition.With the immagrants here now on the whole its for the good and i think its taken a long time to live in Harmony in fact its the diferent factions of our own people like Manx v Scouse,West Country folk v The Welsh that is still very real,the only real anti English ive come across are from people in Cornwall!!

[axs]

British. Says so on my passport. I'm also English. and a bit scottish and a bit Irish. Generally I'm just me though.

[Phil_S]

Hertha I always thought you were a kraut.  Serious.

As for the you get the govt you deserve I agree, we, as a nation (GB), are a bunch of moaning sit on our arse and complain cock-knockers.  We should protest more, be more passionate about the demise of this once great land.  If we're not happy about something let's let the authorities know about it, bit like the Francais do.

"Allons enfants de la patrie, le jour de gloire est arrivé..."

I'll go along with that. We get what we deserve for sure on the whole, but the system is now skewed against the English. I think it is totally out of order that you can get a free further education if you are in Scotland, but not if you live in England. But we all pay the same taxes. Put another way Scotland gets the Scottish Parliamaent that it votes for, so does Wales. England gets the Parliament that Britain votes for.

[ronnie21]

I voted other 'cos I am a proud Wiltshireman, born and bred!!  Why no space for Moonrakers?  Other than that I always say I am English, not sure I am so proud of that after watching that debacle of a cricket match today!!

[Rich Pullen]

I'm a proud Brit.

[wheretherealredsare]

I'm from Mars.

Like being English, but omnipotent.

I love all of you.

[Ardiles]

Also, the french have a good national anthem.

Seriously?!  I think it's as much a dirge as ours...especially the middle bit that drags on, and on, and on.  Best anthem by far is South Africa's.

[flammableBen]

Seriously?!  I think it's as much a dirge as ours...especially the middle bit that drags on, and on, and on.  Best anthem by far is South Africa's.

I dunno, it doesn't sound anthemy enough to me, the whole thing seems a bit forced. The French one manages to keep some of the pomp whilst still being up and down with even a hint of bounce.

The Brazilian one has a nice tune, but it sounds like something there should be some sort of ice skating ballet dialogue free play / silent disney animation to or something.

[janaage]

Italian one is great too!!  And Ireland's.

[Ardiles]

Agree that a lot of anthems could do with a make over though.  Try this for the (rarely sung) 6th verse of God Save the Queen:

Lord grant that Marshal Wade
May by thy mighty aid
Victory bring.
May he sedition hush,
And like a torrent rush,
Rebellious Scots to crush.
God save the Queen!

Marshal Wade was the soldier sent to sort out the Highlanders in the aftermath of the Jacobite Rising in 1715.  You can kind of understand why anyone Scottish might take offence.

The Scots go one better, though, with Flower of Scotland describing the events of the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314...in which they clobbered the English.  Notice a pattern?  (King Edward II never really recovered from this disgrace, and died some years later in a Gloucestershire castle with a red hot poker up his arse.)