Britishness - what is it?

Given the number of gobby people on this forum prepared to sound off about anything, much of which they don't need to know the slightest thing about to have an opinion , I'm amazed no one has seen Cameron's latest blathering to be worthy of comment. Well I do, and it has at least promoted some debate.

I cant imagine ANYONE thinking Magna Carta is at the root of being British. As Cameron has previously demonstrated his complete ignorance of what is in it (see the Letterman Show on Youtube to confirm), he is in no position to make this claim. And as it pre-dates the annexation of Wales and Ireland, and the Act of Union with Scotland, it cant possibly be applied - if it was any use anyway - to anywhere but England

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9XsYxoZvqI

Successive monarchies all the way up to James ll managed to ignore it anyway.

Cameron confuses Britishness with his own very narrow, upper class 'Englishness' which for most of the rest of us, might as well be Peruvian. I am absolutely certain that his idea of what constitutes 'equality' is utterly different to mine.

Re: Britishness - what is it?

Whats the 'wink' for - what does it mean to you ?
You either 'mean' the first paragraph or you don't .....

Re: Britishness - what is it?

I am not sure about ''Britishness''..

I am English..

Welsh..Scots..Irish do not call themselves ''British''

Maybe he is referring to the ''Ghetto's'' that immigrant British find themselves in..whilst carrying on the laws from a third country..

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-benefits.html

I resent the fact that these people have never paid anything into our system..

Another thing I am not happy with...is that Bradford has been awarded 7 million pounds to look after handicapped children...Their ''handicapped'' children are the result of cousins marrying cousins..

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...dren-risk.html

Re: Britishness - what is it?

others coming into the country can get British status, I too am English and that's something they can't take away from me

Re: Britishness - what is it?

I must admit to being completely puzzled by the idea of Britishness and even more puzzled by the promotion of the values of Britishness. I think you're right in that there is as much difference between classes, cultures, religions, groups etc... as there are between different nations.

I think politicians like the idea of a unified set of values and ideals that they can appeal to, but they just doesn't exist.

Even Far(t)age attempts to appeal to some mass ideal and once he tries to put it into practice he is going to find that "all that is solid melts into air ..... and man is at last compelled to face with sober senses his real conditions of life, and his relations with his kind" just thought I'd throw that in.

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I think he's being cheeky ... winding you all up. I reckon he'll be successful too!

Re: Britishness - what is it?

"I too am English" what does that mean? -and how would you know if they'd taken it away?

Re: Britishness - what is it?

Cameron is attempting to appeal to and re-inforce 'patriotism'.

Mark Twain once said that "Patriotism is the last redoubt of a scoundrel" - He was right, Cameron is.

Re: Britishness - what is it?

I agree with most of the above!

The only trait which to me sums up "Britishness", something that has remained constant throughout history, some may disagree but, I would say is being stoic against adversity. The other "British" values seem to change with the times.

Re: Britishness - what is it?

Cameron will have a hard job...

''Britishness'' is the last thing that the immigrants want..