Vocal Voices

I am sick of this demand to refer to English people " As British". I am English born and bred.
Now, if world war three were to materialise I can guarantee that the "majority " of those defending this country and the British would be English, the so called British would be steadfastly sitting at home following the news and TV all the time they were able.

I've never really thought about it but if someone asked me what nationality I was I would automatically answer "British".

But if they asked me where I was from I would answer "England".

Debit, you will also note that every official letter that comes through your letterbox. You will be asked whether you are British or "Other"

when a friend wrote "English" on an official form it was returned to him as "incorrect"

apparently there is a Scotland/Ireland/Wales ,there is'nt an England !

KateLM wrote:Debit, you will also note that every official letter that comes through your letterbox. You will be asked whether you are British or "Other"

But that genuinely doesn't bother me - much of the time they are asking to ensure that no discrimination is taking place (I know because we do the same thing at work - all our surveys that we send out we ask about nationality - if we sign up a new tenant we also have to ask about disability and sexuality!!).

Maybe its a generation thing. I don't really see myself as anything - I am neither proud or not proud to be English/British - I am what I am. I like that we live in a multi cultural society. I suppose I am very much live and let live.

It will be interesting to see how many British volunteer to protect these shores if the need arises.

victor wrote:when a friend wrote "English" on an official form it was returned to him as "incorrect"

apparently there is a Scotland/Ireland/Wales ,there is'nt an England !

But if anyone wrote Scottish or Welsh or Northern Irish it would have been returned as incorrect too.

Yep, Mrs S had a form returned to her as incorrect because she entered Scottish. Since it was information they wanted, she simply refused to send it again. When they hassled her, she told them they had received the information and if they didn't like it, then it was their problem, not hers....

Out in France, we, on the other hand, are sick and tired of being asked if we are "going home to England", if we are "English" and the fact that every time an English person opens their mouth about country they use the word "England" over and over and over again, even if they know that the people they are talking to are Welsh, Scottish or Irish. It is irksome in the extreme and, it appears, you simply can't cure them of it.

If asked, abroad, I'll say British automatically. If I'm then asked if I'm English I will say "No, Scottish" mainly because I identify with my Scottish half more than my English half, having lived more than half my lift out of the UK and most of that with Scotland as my home.

So I'm British. Have already served 7 years in the Army of our country and you can be damned sure I'd be there protecting my country and my family if needed.

However, Kate, that aside, I do know the kind you are complaining about and I really, really, hate them just as much as you do. I have no problem with English people being English or having an English identity. I just have a huge problem with the way they assume that everyone and everything in the UK is "English".

I have evolved as British.

Having been in the RAF and working with other armed forces, and also living and working overseas for quite long periods, I got used to other nationalities calling me a Brit/British. It does not bother me in the slightest.

I'm the same as Deb, I am British, but born and live in England, which is part of Great Britain.

I don't have any interest in patriotism. I don't support England in the World Cup, I don't support British Racing Drivers. I support drivers I like regardless of where they are from.

I don't think I have a patriotic bone in my body. I either like people or I don't, end of