Friday, January 26, 2007

Like I said - English not British... or like Labour says, British not English

I've always wanted to use the words serendipitous and juxtaposition in the same sentence and, hey, this is my big chance.

What a serendipitous piece of news that the British Nats of Nu Labour insistence that school kids in England must have lessons in 'British' citizenship came a day after half the English expressed that they actually feel more English than British. What an interesting juxtaposition. Britishness descending down the escalators of history, passing an ascending Englishness. Sweet!

It all sounds like a cocked up idea in any case - 'citizenship lessons' - the doss subject as we used to say at school. At least we in Wales won't have this British nationalist propaganda rammed down our throats. But pity the English. Labour, the British nationalist party par excellence, characterises Englishness as an uncouth ethnic identity for white chavs but refuses to allow English children to develop a civic version of their prime identity, insisting that they are in fact British and not English. Mad!

I'm with the English, and against the British nationalists. English schools should develop a civic English identity not flog the dead horse of Britishness. As Welsh nationalists we should support the English.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Thankyou for that point, that actually means very much to me that after all the bickering between the nations of our wonderful isle over history, we should stick up for eachother. I'm an Englishman and very proud of it, I'm fed up with Labour and I'm fed up with Britishness. Let our true nationalities shine through.. God bless Wales, Ireland, Scotland and England.