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Don't call us British, we're from England
Last updated at 23:03pm on 23.01.07
The number of people describing themselves as "British" is plummetting amid fears for the future of the United Kingdom.
A major survey of social attitudes among 3,000 Britons reveals a dramatic surge in people who see themselves first and foremost as "English" - in an apparent reaction to nationalism and devolution in Scotland and Wales.
While the British identity is in decline, so is the traditional importance of church and political party in people's sense of who they are.
By contrast class appears to be alive and well.
While the working class appears to be shrinking and the middle class is growing, there is no sign of any breakdown in the traditional distinctions with almost everyone feeling they belong to one or the other.
The undermining of the 'British' identity has potentially far-reaching consequences for the political map of the nation.
A recent Daily Mail poll revealed that most voters in both Scotland and England want the two countries to split apart - or failing that for England to have its own parliament to decide English policies without interference from Scottish MPs.
The potential break-up of the 300-year-old union threatens to present Chancellor Gordon Brown with a constitutional crisis if he becomes Prime Minister, and he will fight hard to preserve the union.
Independence for Scotland - and an end to Scottish MPs, including Mr Brown, voting in Westminster - would devastate Labour's position south of the border.
While the Tories also support the union they are calling for reforms to address the so-called West Lothian Question - namely why Scottish MPs should still be allowed to vote on purely English domestic policy in Westminster while English MPs have no say over devolved Scottish affairs such as education.
The British Social Attitudes survey has been carried out by the National Centre for Social Research since 1983, and today's publication marks the 23rd set of results.
Other key findings include a marked shift away from support for civil liberties, with Britons increasingly willing to give up hard-fought freedoms for the sake of tackling terrorism.
Plotting the decline of the British identity, the report warns of potentially damaging consequences for society, with people becoming less likely to show a "willingness to die for their communities", or to feel an obligation towards fellow citizens, especially those in need.
Possible reasons include globalisation and international links - "most strikingly through the developing institutions of the European Union" - as well as the decline of the bonds which originally held the different parts of the United Kingdom together: a shared Protestant faith and the common endeavour of building and running the British Empire.
Over the past decade the proportion of people in the UK describing their nationality first and foremost as British has fallen from 52 to 44 per cent.
In England the trend has been sharper, down from 63 to 48 per cent, while those who see themselves mostly as "English" have risen from 31 to 40 per cent since 1992.
In Scotland the proportion of people who feel "British" has dropped from 31 to 14 per cent since 1974, but the trend happened earlier than in England.
The report states: "Already relatively weak in Scotland and Wales, 'Britishness' appears now to have lost some ground in England to a sense of feeling English instead."
English respondents voiced "an apparently growing wish in the wake of Scottish and Welsh devolution to assert an English rather than a British identity."
Researchers found that 94 per cent still feel part of a particular class - the same proportion as in 1964.
The proportion describing themselves as "working class" has dropped from 64 to 57 per cent, while the middle class has risen from 30 to 37 per cent.
But many people still describe themselves as "working class" based on their origins and upbringing, even if they now have traditionally "middle class" jobs such as teachers or accountants.
"For many people their class identity is still a 'given' identity that was formed when they were growing up," the report states.
The study also reveals a rapid decline in loyalty to political parties, down from 46 per cent feeling a "very" or "fairly" strong allegiance in 1987 to 35 per cent now.
Researchers claim this trend could have "real consequences" for Britain's political system, with lower turnouts at elections and more volatile voting patterns.
Formal membership of religions is also falling fast.
The proportion of people saying they had no religion or never attended services has soared from 26 per cent in 1964 to 69 per cent now, and even those who claim to be religious are less likely to go to church regularly - down from 75 per cent to just half.
Studying attitudes to work-life balance, researchers found that more women are working longer hours - closing the gap with men - with the result that families as a whole are under more pressure.
"Work has become more intense in Britain," the report states.
"Stress at work is increasing across the board, and is now particularly common amongst managerial and professional employees."
But with stress levels rising among part-time workers, the study questions whether so-called "flexible" working is the key to better work-life balance, and suggests policy-makers should focus more on cutting stress levels.
Historian Correlli Barnnett said it was wrong to assume that citizens had to make a choice between being British or English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish.
He said: "For my part I always fill in forms as being English.
"I feel that is my basic nationality, and I am very happy to belong to the larger club that is Britishness."
He added: "This trend away from Britishness may be a reaction to globalisation.
"Perhaps, confronted with global pressures, we want to feel local loyalties. There's no reason we shouldn't take pride in the county we come from - Yorkshire, Lancashire or Norfolk - and in our feelings of Englishness or Scottishness, and still be British."
Author and commentator Frederick Forsyth said: "I think most of this is a mood, and moods come and go.
"We still talk about British troops fighting abroad. We talk about British ambassadors.
"It's only at home within these islands that this quibbling arises.
"The union is positive. The cement of the monarchy is positive.
"The political pygmies who want to break up the nation simply want to grab a bit of power."
Reader views (13)
Nobody in Scotland really calls themselves British anymore, some call themselves Scottish and then British but the majority call themselves Scottish only and don’t want to part of Britain but are not rushing for independence simply because it will come gradually over time. Devolution was the real wake up call for the English it was also was the nail in the coffin for the UK. It has re awoken English nationalism and will lead to the separation of the UK. The UK was finished anyway for Scotland, all the binds that made it stay in the UK the empire the church are all gone or are irrelevant. With devolution and being in Europe a gradual approach will occur as Europe takes more power from Westminster and gives more to the Scottish parliament all the independence movement will no is cut the ties with no real changes. Being in Europe and devolution means that the UK is sleep walking into being broken up.
- Kev Baxter, Glasgow
If asked to specify, I say I'm English because if someone asks where I'm from they want to know about geography, not politics. Britain isn't even physcially united, so how can I describe myself as being "from Britain" - it's a political concept, not a place. Saying you're British is surely the equivalent of saying you're European - it refers only to a collection of countries without specifying one. Although, really, I'm not all that interested in nationality - who I am is nothing to do with who else happens to inhabit the same island/political concept but everything to do with my life experiences and my loved ones. You can't define that.
- Suzanne, London
The simple answer to the problem with British identity which is only supported by 14% of Scots according to your report is independence for Scotland England and Wales. The generally neglected Celtic country of Cornwall should also be offered independence or at least a devolved parliament.
We get absolutely nothing from Westminster rule and those like John Reid and Gordon Brown who are desperate to hang on to power in England are amongst this 14% minority in Scotland.
This minority runs our newspapers and (with other similar deluded souls) all the London based political parties and they still wave the flag for Britain even though the empire it represented is now defunct.
Let's hope Scotland can restore balance to Britain by breaking it up. England is not a imperial power and Scotland does not want to be a US missile base. Labour and Tories are just the same as each other and neither they or the Liberal Democrats (who are not democratic when it comes to Scotland and claim to support federalism but don't do anything about it) have any genuine interest in Scotland or the Scottish people.
Independence makes sense for Scotland and it makes sense for England as well who would lose a disgruntled politically ignored neighbour and gain a new politically equal friend.
- Joe Middleton, Edinburgh, Scotland
Charlie from London - Scottish MSPs did indeed vote for no student top up fees in Scotland. Scottish Labour MPs however voted for top up fees to apply to the English (without their votes we wouldn't have had top fees in England; or foundation hospitals) - which is exactly why the West Lothian question is so vital...
- Jane, London
"The few times that I've raised the point that England isn't a country during football broadcasts in pubs, I've been lucky to escape in one piece."
The same has happened to me when I've pointed out that Guinness is in fact an English family and beer.
- Willstead Ash, London UK
As regards this extremely controversial "West Lothian Question", from what I have seen on and read in the news, the Scots have taken better and more humane decisions on quite a few questions, of which student top up fees is one that springs readily to mind. Therefore I suggest that maybe having Scottish MPs voting on issues south of the "border" is no bad thing, given the propensity of "English" MPs to slavishly follow the Government line on anything, no matter how ill-judged, brutal, short-sighted or just plain stupid it is.
- Charlie, London, UK
There is no England. It hasn't existed since 1707. I could never quite see why England and Scotland were allowed to play football against France and Germany - until someone pointed out that somewhere in the past an agreement had been made to that effect. The few times that I've raised the point that England isn't a country during football broadcasts in pubs, I've been lucky to escape in one piece. But that doesn't change the fact that England doesn't exist, apart from being a geographical designation of one group of the counties that make up the U.K. I've always considered myself as British and a citizen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northen Ireland. I was born in a city that in 1706 would have been in England, but today exists in the U.K. "Being English" means absolutely nothing to me. I'm British.
- Phil Jones, London UK
Well, new Labour certainly opened Pandora's Box when they allowed the Scots their own Parliament.
The law of unintended consequences may result in a split that will see them never being able to win enough seats in an separate England and Wales to form another government. Ever!
In trying to pander to the separatists, they may have brought about their own end.
The consequences are worrying though. Will the Lib Dems or whatever they are called this week end up being the official opposition?
- Stephen, Guildford
Britain isn't a country and never has been, therefore anyone writing Britain as their 'country of origin' is incorrect, there is no such country.
- Lloyd, London
The Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish are, I opine, working the nationality thing on two levels. They are British when taking the protection and benefits supplied via Westminster, but revert to their true colours in matters of culture and, too, when they need a scapegoat for some bellyache or another (more often than not the English).
I, for one, think that fulltime devolution - Independence for the Scots, Welsh, and a United Ireland - is an idea whose time has come.
Bring it on!
- Ted, Shetland Isles
Guilty as charged, Your Honour.
I have put 'English' as my nationality on various forms for quite a few years now (and will continue to do so) and distinctly remembering it confusing an immigration officer at JFK. In case anyone starts, I do not do so as any form of a racist statement, merely pride in my roots.
My family has been traced back to early 14th century Cornwall and I feel justified/proud to call myself English. However, I do not drive around with the flag on my car, but I do think that we should officially celebrate St George's Day. It would save me one day a year from my vacation allowance.
- Peter M, London, England
I am equally ashamed to be called British or English. This country is going to the dogs and anyone who wants to claim nationality is welcome to it!
- Richard, London
I am Welsh but lived in England - London to be precise - for nine years. I enjoyed living there. My fiance is English as are about half of my close friends and there are a great many things about London that I love. I feel sorry that English people do not celebrate St George's Day properly, something I only became aware of when I lived there. I sense that Englishness is being supressed by the weight of political correctness, which is a shame because in Wales (and presumably Scotland) that would never be allowed to happen.
- Rachel, Cardiff, UK
