Sajid Javid's oath of Britishness could prevent me being a councillor

Originally posted on Stuart Parr for Brookside



Sajid Javid MP, the Communities Secretary, has proposed that all public office holders should have to swear an oath of allegiance to British values.

Local government and civil service is devolved so Javid is the Communities Secretary for England, not Britain. That means that if his proposals become law it will only apply in England and only people in England will have to pledge an oath of Britishness.

I consider myself English, not British and was a director and patron of the Campaign for an English Parliament until a few years ago. I would never make any pledge of Britishness but in the future that might find me and others banned from being a councillor. Is it really reasonable to expect people who don't have a British identity - SNP and Plaid councillors and MPs, people who identify as English, for example - to pledge allegiance to something they don't believe in?

If Javid really wants to promote community cohesion then he should stop trying to impose a one-size-fits-all Britishness on an unwilling population and end the divisive doctrine of multiculturalism. Acceptance isn't something that people can be forced into with laws.

UKIP now stand before two paths - and we must choose wisely

The drawbridge for a progressive Ukip is being lifted - so run for a leap

It has become clear to me that there is a silent battle taking ground in Ukip, between those who look to the past and those who look to the future. It’s now that the Party must decide its destiny – and I must say; only one option will provide Ukip a longstanding future. Party membership may have risen steadily over the years, but as days pass we lose excellent contributions because they believe that the party is not going the right way – and it rightly isn’t, with a group of boring old-Tories possessing greater influence in Ukip.

The fact is, no one joined Ukip to comply with the establishment; actually the complete opposite. Many of us are proud anti-establishment folk, seeing our leaders as relatively unaccountable, ineffective and inward looking spineless men who believe they can tamper with the country’s traditions and culture however they wish. The main reason I, like many, are in Ukip is because of the “I will not support the LibLabCon - I will not obey” mentality, which is a fair enough mentality. Like when an establishment politician explains that we should not support Ukip because they are a ‘smaller party’ and consequently has no future in British politics, it’s like a slave, who wants nothing more but freedom, to be told that he or she will never get hold of that freedom. Thankfully, we are getting strong determinism to see change; and many of the determined are currently being accommodated by Ukip, but the Party leadership must ensure that they are stuffing the pillows sufficiently.

Many activists are not finding comfort on the pillow, like I’ve heard from many in Young Independence. This is ultimately because the Party is currently taking the ‘love it or hate it’ approach, and as much as this may secure ground among boring Tories and some Old Labour, it’s not enough to secure the electoral success we hope for in the 2015 General Election. The 'bunker reality' is that only a Ukip talking about development, expansion, curry and the Commonwealth can really pierce into unknown territory. Moreover, it would prove significant to steal the far-left’s mantra  that the EU robs workers of their rights and centralises businesses with the multi-national cooperations, with their full-hearted dedication to this project going way back – because it does. And the fact is many joined the Ukip of the small man, the small business, the pub and so on. There are some overly nationalistic forces in the party which project mixed messages to the wider population, and could even come out as some dodgy Isolationism.

But we should be the party of the Global Britain – that’s where the money is. Goodbye to the shackles of EU laws and regulation and hello to a Britain freely trading with the world and establishing special ties with the Commonwealth, perhaps even establishing closer economic and military relationships in the long run. What the people of Britain really want to hear is that the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the party of the world and everyone is invited*. The three main parties have ruined the party and British want a fresh alternative to be the DJ – a DJ that will probably play Rule Britannia and the James Bond theme tune quite often.

If Ukip manifest itself as the true progressive party of British politics, like the SDP-Liberal Alliance did in the 80s, anything is possible. But the difference is This is a party which has grown from the people and have a natural instinct to provide what the people want – and that’s a Britain men and women of all backgrounds can call home. So fix up Ukip. In 10 years we don’t want Ukip to be added to the list of grassroots political movements that eventually slipped over their own oil. In one sense, we are a party of proud opportunists, because we were blessed with an opportunity we should never neglect: to make a change for the future, not the past.

*very strict terms and conditions apply

Restoring Britishness: UKIP Policy - Part 2

Having read the full policy document, it is clear that it even more ill thought out, inconsistent and out of touch with reality than the summary suggested.

Here is some further comment to go with the earlier comment on the summary:

the British people enjoyed the protections afforded by Magna Carta

No, the English people enjoyed the protections afforded by Magna Carta, a proclamation dating from 1215, some 492 years before the British state existed and a proclamation that has never formed part of Scottish law.

Britishness is also defined by a civic nationalism, which is inclusive, as opposed to religious or racial nationalism, which is exclusive. Civic nationalism is defined by loyalty and identification with the symbols of nationhood, such as the national flag.

Of course it's a civic nationalism, it is a 300 year old political construct that has no racial, ethnic, historical or natural basis.  We spent a couple of thousand years knocking seven shades out of each other and even in the 300 years the union has existed we English have still been universally loathed by the celts.  And the national flag - what an own goal by whoever wrote this policy!  Take a drive around your neighbourhood and count the British flags and your own national flag.  Other than public buildings and company premises you'll be hard pressed to find the butchers apron flying anywhere.  I know of one house - just one - in the whole of Telford (population 160k) that flies a British flag but the English flag is everywhere.  The British flag is a symbol of British imperialistic officialdom to most people, nothing more.

Civic nationalism's real beauty is it is open to all, whatever their ethnic, religious or linguistic background or skin colour, as the only thing the person has to do is self identify as British and demonstrate loyalty and consistency in their beliefs

I am a civic English nationalist and believe exactly the same thing about an English identity and most people in English identify themselves as English.

As UKIP’s Deputy Leader David Campbell Bannerman notes

What is it that leads Brit/Scot politicians to blather on about Britishness in defiance of logic and public opinion, especially the opinion of their fellow countrymen and women who reject Britishness more than any other people on these islands?  I knew he'd have something to do with this.

The Scottish and Welsh nationalists have also fallen for the siren's call from Brussels that a "Europe of the Regions" will be to their advantage, particularly if they can dissolve the UK, despite the fact they would be mere regions of an EU state and not proud nations within a British union

All the more reason to establish an English parliament for all of England, to permanently frustrate the regionalists.  But you see, even in the final sentence, the author acknowledges that we are distinct nations and not one country.

Meanwhile with devolution, the work of Scottish Westminster MPs has diminished and their status undermined

But this is what the Scottish people wanted, it's what they voted for and it's what they continue to support.

By contrast, the United Kingdom has a proud history of tolerance and respect for national identities, legal systems and cultures stretching back through the centuries, and we feel that Welsh, Scottish, English and Northern Irish people can resolve their grievances in a calm, intelligent fashion as part of restoring confidence in the Union.

The British establishment has spent the last 300 years trying to abolish the English identity and nearly succeeded in doing so.  As for tolerance of the Irish - tolerance and respect for national identities?  Don't make me laugh!  England has been a unified nation since 927AD, 780 years longer than the British union.  Where's the respect for the thousand years of history and English identity in this policy?

British Gas

That great symbol of Britishness, who operate under the name Scottish Gas north of the border because of the toxic British brand.

To recognise the importance of the Magna Carta to the British Constitution

There. Is. No. British. Constitution.  Jesus Christ, this really isn't a difficult concept is it?  There is no British constitution, Magna Carta is part of English law and doesn't apply to Scotland.  Same with Habeas Corpus, the Act of Succession, the Bill of Rights - all English constitutional laws that do not apply to the whole of the UK.

All UK Citizens would undergo a ‘Citizenship Ceremony’ to affirm their commitment to British civic values, sign a "Declaration of Citizenship" and undergo an English test.

Does this include those of us that live here already?  I would never attend one of these charades.

cricket is a sport in which Britain celebrates its close ties with Commonwealth friends

My god, it gets worse.  What is British about cricket?  Is there even a Scottish cricket team?

Football, a game invented in the UK, has gone on to become one of the world's most popular sports. It could be said that the British invented both of the world's universal languages (English and football).

Football, a game invented in England.  And the English language was invented by the English, hence why it is called English and not British.

UKIP would support the creation of a British football team composed of players from the Welsh, English, Scottish and Northern Irish teams, which would compete in special games such as the 2012 Olympic football competition and in exhibition games (e.g. Charity Shield), whilst backing Home Nation teams for other tournaments

Ok, find an organisation that isn't backed by the British government that supports a British football team.  There is universal opposition in the supporters clubs of every home nation to a British football team and only the fifth columnists in the English FA (which won't even put the word English in their name) support a British team with the FA's of the other home nations opposed to it.

UKIP will make high quality teaching of British history in schools mandatory

It already is.

UKIP believes all UK citizens must learn a common history and draw from a unified heritage

So history lessons will stop at 300 years ago?

Part of the improved teaching will be a fair and factual analysis of the history of the British Empire, which celebrates its achievements in terms of democracy

And presumably this will include teaching children that the British Empire is the English Empire renamed given that the Scottish Empire consisted of a short-lived colony in Panama that bankrupted the Scottish Crown and led to the Act of Union with England which started a 300 year addiction to English subsidies (bought and sold with English gold).  It won't will it?

UK citizens can be proud Scotsmen, Welshmen and Ulstermen as well as proud Britons

But not Englishmen?

Schools around the UK should also be encouraged to familiarise themselves with the anthems of Home Nations.

England hasn't been allowed a national anthem.  Will one be handed down by the British state or will the British national anthem be substituted as it is now?

Restoring Britishness: UKIP Policy

I am an English nationalist and I will make no apologies for that.  As far as I'm concerned, loyalty my country (England) comes before any loyalty I might have to UKIP and so I am equally unapologetic for what follows: a comprehensive fisking of UKIP's new policy entitled "Restoring Britishness".

Before you go any further, read this overview of the policy which is what I'm commenting on.

In England, an increasingly resentful English nationalism is also brewing, often fuelled by perceptions that other parts of the UK are receiving preferential treatment and services and/or that Celtic nation MPs are forming voting blocs at Westminster.

How does b**locks sound?  Scottish, Irish and Welsh nationalism aren't described as resentful despite the fact they're fundamentally built on a hatred of the English.  Other parts of the UK are receiving preferential treatment and services and celtic MPs do form voting blocs at Westminster.  We wouldn't have foundation hospitals or university top-up fees if it wasn't for the Scottish MPs voting as a bloc to impose them on England even though they didn't apply to Scotland.

The 'English Question' is arguably the most serious threat to Britishness.

It's the most serious threat to the union but not Britishness.  The most serious threat to Britishness is atrophy - it was an artificial construct that served a purpose for a while and is no longer relevant.

UKIP would replace members of the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland Assemblies with national Westminster MPs.

There goes the Scottish and Welsh vote ...

An English Executive would be created from British departments that are de facto only engaged in English affairs, headed by an English First Minister. UK national government would be restored at the highest level within this overall framework.

So basically a return to how it was before devolution with grand committees and home offices, the only difference being that England would get one?  Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland has never had a problem with their British MPs not representing their national interests, it's the English that have always had the problem with British MPs elected in England putting Britain first to the detriment of England.  So England will be disadvantaged again.  And what will happen when there is a conflict of interests in their grand committee?  Will they put British or English interests first?  Exactly the same fundamental stumbling blocks as the Tories' policies.

UKIP would abolish the Barnett formula, which has disproportionately provided some parts of the UK with preferential services to others.

"Some parts of the UK" being Scotland, Wales and NI - the very reason dismissed as a "perception" in the denigration of English nationalists.  But I agree with getting rid of the Barnett Formula, it is an abomination and an insult.

In England, UKIP would replace the May Day bank holiday, and make St George's Day a public holiday in its place.

So Scotland, Wales and NI will still have more public holidays?  England has the least public holidays in Europe.  But a good move promoting St Georges Day although surprising when the policy writer seems to have such an aversion to English nationalism.

I have two problems with this "Restoring Britishness" policy.

Firstly, I'm not British, I'm English and most people in England consider themselves English too.  You can argue with the facts if you want but before you put your red white and blue tinted glasses on and start hammering on your keyboard, check out the research on this first and you will find that more people consider themselves English, Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish first and British second.

Secondly, who is actually asking for it to be restored?  Aside from a handful of British nationalists (mainly politicians) basically nobody.  The vast majority of people in all four home nations are quite happy with the national identity they have had for centuries.  Britishness is a made-up political identity that has never taken root outside of England and now it's been relegated to the history books in England.  It's only immigrant populations in England, who get Britishness rammed down their throats (in England) from the day they arrive in the country, that have a British identity.

Rather than expending time and energy on trying to keep alive a made-up political identity that has never really been anything other than a pseudonym for English that's been in terminal decline for decades, we should be embracing and supporting the true identities of these isles that the majority of people have chosen for themselves.  If you have to form a committee and hold workshops to try and define Britishness and actually publish a policy on what steps should be taken by the state to indoctrinate children with a different identity to the one that they were brought up with, it's quite obviously a pointless and ultimately doomed exercise.

Let's stick to what we're good at - libertarianism, capitalism and euroscepticism - and stop wasting time on Canute-like proclamations.

More comment in this post.