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What does it mean to be British?

Telegraph | Expat | What does it mean to be British?

By Anthony King
(Filed: 27/07/2005)

In pictures: Best of British
Your view: What does it mean to be British?

What is Britishness and what are fundamental British values? A YouGov survey for the Telegraph has found that Britons' sense of national identity depends far more on shared values and institutions than on nostalgia for warm beer and village cricket.

YouGov asked respondents which of a wide variety of words and phrases were important to them in defining Britain and what it means to be British. The percentages saying each was "very important" are set out in the chart.

As the figures show, values such as people's right to say what they think, fairness and fair play, politeness and tolerance of other people and their ideas stand out, with political institutions alongside.

The nation's history is also a central theme. People attach special importance to Britain's defiance of Nazi Germany in 1940, with the emphasis almost certainly as much on "Nazi" as on "Germany". The Royal Navy ranks high as a national symbol, higher even than the monarchy. People also know how much they owe to the fact that Britain has not been invaded since 1066.

Ye Olde Britain, foreign tourists' Britain, clearly matters far less to the natives. Not only warm beer and cricket but also red telephone boxes and double-deck buses scarcely figure in Britons' sense of what their country means. Pubs and Shakespeare matter more.

Individual men and women can also embody a nation's values and character. YouGov asked respondents which of a number of well-known contemporary Britons they take pride in. The responses reflect this year's Britain rather than yesteryear's.

Immigrants from the Caribbean once complained that "there ain't no black in the Union Jack". YouGov says that there is now. Kelly Holmes, the Olympic double gold medallist, is in a virtual dead heat with the Queen. Sir Trevor McDonald comes joint third with Lord Coe. The boxer Amir Khan outranks Tim Henman as an object of pride.

Partly because it is rooted so deeply in the present as well as the past, Britons' sense of national identity seems secure. People never ask themselves the question, "What does it mean to be British?", they just go about the business of being British.

As the figures in the chart show, nearly 90 per cent of YouGov's respondents are not shy about saying that they are proud to be British and almost as many reckon that, taking everything into account, this country has been "a force for good in the world". The British like to moan, but they can afford to moan because they have got so little to moan about.

Since the London bombings, some commentators maintain that Britain and the British way of life are under threat, the implication being that the threat is so serious that it may ultimately destroy the nation and its values. Most Britons are unimpressed, says YouGov.

Well over 80 per cent are either willing to accept that such a threat exists but maintain that extremists have "no realistic chance" of destroying the nation's way of life or else go further and deny that a threat exists at all. Only one individual in eight assents to the proposition that "extremists are threatening the British way of life and British values and may succeed in destroying both".

Perhaps because a large proportion of non-Muslim Britons have peaceful Muslim friends and neighbours, a majority also rejects the idea that this country is in the front line of a "clash of civilisations".

As the figures show, more than half of those questioned insist that "there is no fundamental contradiction between the beliefs of western liberal democracy and the beliefs of Islam, only between liberal democracy and the beliefs of a minority of Islamic extremists and fanatics".

That said, roughly a quarter of people believe that the values of liberal democracy and those of Islam are indeed "fundamentally contradictory" and another quarter remain agnostic on the point.

Just as YouGov's recent survey of British Muslims revealed the existence of a minority of Muslims alienated from mainstream Britain, so this new survey suggests that large numbers of Britons are now suspicious of Islamic ideas, more suspicious than they are of Muslims themselves.

YouGov elicited the opinions of 3,505 adults across Britain online between July 20 and 22. The data have been weighted to conform to the demographic profile of British adults.
# Anthony King is professor of government at Essex University.

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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?

Microsoft

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 early views:

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 it's 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
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