Are you proud to be British ?

My ancestors on both sides have been pure-bred English for 400 years and I'm quite chuffed about that but it's Britain's recent history which makes me ashamed to be British.

How do you know, apricot? I am impressed if you can go back that many generations. I can only find some lines going back to the late 1700s. Can't find any information pre 1750.

What sort of English, Apricot? Anglo Saxon, Viking or Norman. Or a blend of of all of them?

'apricot' that is very unusual! What genealogist service did you use for your research. It is hard to get back so far as records peter out or become unrelaible. My DHs family who have no known non-English lineage look like they actually have. DHs brother did a DNA test for his genealogy research and discovered that there is probably Persian/Iranian history somewhere! Those cheeky crusaders!

On my maternal grandmother's side, they are very much 'of the shires', marrying into other shires families - reminiscent of Trollope! I have the family tree going back to the 17th century. On the paternal side, there is no evidence of cross-border contamination, though it is likely that there's a Celtic, Viking and Lowland mixture.

Cross-border contamination sounds interesting. My father in law reckoned his family probably stole sheep and cattle from my family, as border reivers

Sorry Ariadne. Work took me away from Yorkshire but I love to go back. It was voted in the top ten places in the world to visit. I love the gritty mill towns, the wild open spaces and the warmth of the people.

Ifor one, love the warmth of Essex people as well

The question are you 'proud' to be British to me is simply a light way of asking for your thoughts on the matter without getting too deep into the question and boring us all to death.

So, yes, I am proud to be British. I am proud to be English too. I get very annoyed that being content to hold that view is somehow contentious to another person, body, media group etc. that holds a different view.

If Britain was such a crap country, why do people want to come here, sometimes risking their lives to have what we all take for granted. In fact, take for granted to such an extent we complain about the smallest thing that would seem petty to a lot of other people living in countries under communisim or ruled by a dictatorship. We should embrace the values of freedom and democracy afforded to us and thank goodness we live in a society that, yes, get's things wrong but by crickey we get a hell of a lot right.

I accept we have a history, every nation does. History has it's place, always will have but we cannot alter it, just learn from it. We must concentrate on what values we hold in this century. We should concentrate on what values we pass on to our children and grandchildren , surely.

I will ask this one question. If you detest or dislike strongly the country you live in, why stay? The world is a small place theses days and I would go where I think my life would be happier. After all millions of people do just that.

Britain has a soul to me that doesn't get spoken about because it simply 'is what it is'. It is a united nation of 4 different countries with a common thread running through it's veins. Humour, social engagement, common language, family bonds, law and order, democracy of government, welfare, eduacation and health services etc. etc. Even running a marathon, sporting events, Pudsey Bear, Remembrance Day are embraced by us all, whichever of the 4 countries we come from.

We are for the most part 4 little countries who together have lived alongside one another in peace and relative harmony. That is quite a wonderful thing to be able to say. Long live Britain I say and I am truly saddened that this feeling I have is not shared by all.

But you know what. It is being able to have your say and somebody being able disagree with you that makes this melting pot tick. It's when we don't see another persons point of view and insists it's my way or the highway the melting pot bubbles over and will burn us.

So, yes I do like being British and English and I hope I can still say that in years come.

I am not proud to be British if it means being rude!

I used to be proud of Britain with its caring society - the Welfare State and the NHS. But now? I want to be proud of Britain, but these twin pillars of our community are under threat and what sort of society are we heading for?

POGS, we are not four little countries who for the most part have lived together in peace and harmony

Aren't we? I haven't been to NI but the other three have always seemed harmonious to me, apart from a few nationalist weirdos.

I don't consider anyone in any of the four UK countries who have wanted equality to be weirdos thatbags

Annie Bach

You have just summed up my post.

I respect your right to disagree.

I am now confirmed in my mind my last sentence was correct to state the word 'hope'. I do however think I might have to accept that hope was just sadly an illusion.

POGS, I share your hope but after thatbags described some of my countrymen as weirdos I fear we perhaps hope in vain, there may always be such intolerance from a small number sadly

I have not come across that definition of equality before but perhaps you're onto something and England should have its own assembly too.

Some of everyone's countrymen are weirdos. I've nothing against Scots or Scotland in particular (I even live there and love it) but I do regard excessive nationalism as weird.

PS I'm married to one of your countrymen, annieb. He's pretty weird at times, as am I no doubt, but he's nice too. And not a nationalist.

bags ...weird! Like wot I am d'ya mean?

So you can take your outrage hat off.

Yes, soop, exactly like that

We must meet sometime soon. I brought a stinking cough home from the wee man's territory. Must not pass it on to you.

Proud of England and GB? In general yes, but certainly not of the Hollywood-style romanticised versions of history presented as facts. Proud that a small island group of people managed to rise above chaos and turmoil to influence the world, mostly in a benign way. Not proud, of course, of the casualties that littered the path to that position but as has been said, you cannot change history, only try and learn from it. I suppose the acid test is how other people see us, and I get the impression that most people regard us reasonably favourably. But I am not complacent, there is much darkness in our past and even today there are many issues that cause concern. There is no perfection.

If your outrage hat comment was to me thatbags, I assure you I most certainly am not outraged , not even a teeny bit outraged, little englanders amuse me .