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Sunday 20 November 2011

Polls show Muslims now more 'British' than the English!

Today we have some very interesting and, from the point of view of English Nationalists, highly encouraging newspaper reports. This is because there has been a YouGov opinion poll which shows that the tide of Englishness is surging whilst support for Britishness is being washed away even in its former safe haven of England.
Here is a link to the poll itself >>> http://cdn.yougov.com/cumulus_uploads/document/hufq8ro02k/YG-Archives-pol-Europe-181111.pdf.

The Yougov poll results were commented about on the front page of the Scotsman's Sunday newspaper, Scotland on Sunday, which said:-
"English move away from being British - Calls for an English parliament are growing
By Eddie Barnes
Published on Sunday 20 November 2011 00:00

THE British identity is in steep decline south of the border with the number of people who would describe themselves as English over British soaring, a poll has revealed.

The study found that the number of people in England who would now describe themselves as English rather than British rose to 63 per cent, as opposed to 41 per cent in 2008.

The YouGov poll also discovered that just 20 per cent of the UK population preferred a British identity to any other, down from 42 per cent three years ago.

The poll, taken last month, appears to show that English nationalism is on the rise at the same time as Scottish nationalism is the predominant force in politics north of the border.

It prompted warnings of a shift that could threaten the Union.

The findings were last night seized on by campaigners for a separate English Parliament as further evidence that there was now a major social shift developing across the country.

And John Curtice, professor of politics at Strathclyde University, said that a weakening of “Britishness” in England could have massive repercussions for the future of the Union.

He said: “Adherence to a common sense of ‘Britishness’ is often thought to be a vital part of the emotional glue that helps keep the Union together. That glue has long since lost much of its strength in Scotland. If it has now been eroded in England too, the long term prospects for the Union would seem rather bleak indeed.”

The SNP said that the figures showed there was a desire for a new “equal relationship” between Scotland and England, with the nations standing on their own.

The figures in the new YouGov poll on English and British identity are a marked change on previous polling undertaken in recent years.

Of 1,700 adults around Britain, 2 per cent said they were “mainly” European, 19 per cent said British, 1 per cent said Irish, 5 per cent Welsh, 8 per cent Scottish and 63 per cent said English. In 2008, asked which best described how people felt about themselves, 42 per cent said British, 1 per cent said Irish, 4 per cent Welsh, 8 per cent Scottish and 41 per cent said English.

The new poll, published in this month’s Prospect magazine, was carried out as part of a wider study on British attitudes to Europe.

It was claimed last night that the increase in ‘Englishness has been fuelled in part by resentment about perceived Scottish “freebies”, especially concerning university tuition fees, soon to rise to £9,000 a year south of the border.

Calls for an English “parliament” are growing. Labour MP Frank Field has now laid down a parliamentary motion calling for the pros and cons of such a devolved chamber to be examined.

Eddie Bone of the Campaign for an English Parliament said: “People may not understand the Barnett Formula (which provides the block funding grant to Scotland), but they understand the issue of prescription charges, elderly care, NHS cuts and particularly tuition fees. There is a real feeling among young people in England now that they are being treated very badly. ”

He added: “What is coming out is that more and more people identify themselves as English and that they are subsidising the rest of the UK.”

SNP Ministers have pointed out that Scotland generates more tax revenues than its per capita share in an attempt to scotch the “subsidy myth”. But recent polls have shown a growing discontent in England about Scotland’s share of public spending.

Field added last night: “I was against devolution but once it went through, it seems to me the issue is unfinished. And the people being under-represented are the English, simply because they are the biggest group. I would have thought the next stage is for an English parliament, with a Federal parliament for the UK which undertakes collective action.”


Here is the link to the full story >>> http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/english_move_away_from_being_british_1_1975522

There is also this from the BBC' favourite academic commentator on Voting Trends:-

"John Curtice: Long-term prospects for ‘Britishness’ appear weak
By John Curtice
Published on Sunday 20 November 2011

“ARE you English or British?” “Why both. What’s the difference?” Such conversations about national identity are often thought to be commonplace south of the Border. Residing in by far the largest part of the UK, people in England often talk as though Britain and England are but one and the same place.


So should we take much notice when a YouGov poll discovers that three times as many people in England say they are “mainly English” than say they are “mainly British”?

Well, adherence to a common sense of “Britishness” is often thought to be a vital part of the emotional glue that helps keep the Union together. That glue has long since lost much of its strength in Scotland. If it has now been eroded in England too, the long-term prospects for the Union would seem rather bleak indeed.

There are, though, some caveats about YouGov’s poll. When they try to find out people’s identity, polls typically ask how their respondents how they “think” or “feel” about themselves. After all, an identity is a label or badge that people apply to themselves and towards which they feel a degree of emotional attachment. Such a wording helps get at that.

In their latest poll, YouGov just asked people whether they were mainly English, British or whatever.

Such an approach might be thought to invoke a factual description rather than an identity. Yet if that were all YouGov’s poll was picking up, we would not anticipate that which description people chose would make much difference to the views they expressed on other subjects in the poll. But it did. Those who described themselves as English had a distinctly more “nationalist” outlook.

Fifty-seven per cent of them said they would vote in favour of leaving the European Union. So YouGov’s poll does seem to have picked up something of a genuine “little Englander” mood south of the Border – stimulated perhaps by the recent travails of the eurozone.

And if it is a mood that is willing to contemplate the “break-up” of the European Union, might it not be willing to consider the dissolution of the domestic Union, too?
• John Curtice is Professor of Politics at Strathclyde University
"

Here is the link to the full story >>> http://www.scotsman.com/news/cartoon/john_curtice_long_term_prospects_for_britishness_appear_weak_1_1975538




Also the Scotsman did a "VoxPop" article:-

"Question of nationality divides Union Street
Published on Sunday 20 November 2011

ARE the English feeling less British? We visited historic Union Street in Plymouth – which connects the city centre to the Devonport naval shipyard – to find out.

Sean Lodge, 24, a medic in the Navy from Plymouth: “I describe myself as British but in future English people will be more likely to describe themselves as English. It would benefit England if Scotland were to be independent. We pay high taxes to subsidise tuition fees and cheap prescriptions in Scotland which we don’t see the benefits of.”

Kizzy Dowding, 20, a shop supervisor from Plymouth: “I describe myself as English rather than British. If Scotland wants to be independent they should go for it. Scotland has its own parliament so I don’t see why it can’t.”

George Peart, 48, a plasterer, originally from Newcastle: “I describe myself as British as it is all encompassing. Britain as a whole has its customs and traditions and I feel a sense of pride at being from Britain, not just England. Being from Newcastle I feel closer to Scotland than people living in the South. But Scots have always considered themselves to be independent.”

Vilma Glanville, 80, a retired auditor for the Ministry of Defence: “I would describe myself as English and I always have. My family are English and that’s where my heritage is. Scotland gets a lot of advantages that we don’t. They can sit in our parliament but we don’t have a say in theirs.”


Here is the link to the full story >>> http://www.scotsman.com/news/uk/question_of_nationality_divides_union_street_1_1975531

Interesting as the ongoing change in English people's idea of their national identity is, in many ways it is even more interesting to see what type of people still see themselves as British. The Daily mail, reporting another Poll, puts it this way:-

"Muslims 'are more patriotic than most British people'
British Muslims feel a greater sense of national pride than the average UK citizen, according to the results of a new poll.

While 79 per cent of the Britons quizzed said they agreed with the statement 'I am proud to be a British citizen', the figure rose to 83 per cent among Muslims.

And Muslim Britons were also found to be significantly more optimistic than most with just 31 per cent agreeing with the notion that Britain's best days are in the past compared to an average of 45 per cent.

National pride: A group of Muslim women enjoy a stroll in Regent's Park. A new survey has found Muslims to be more patriotic than the average British citizen

The figures are, to some extent, understood to reflect a reaction to the hostility and distrust felt by many British Muslims in the post 9/11 world.

There is also the belief that Muslims are more able to appreciate the political freedoms UK citizens enjoy as they can trace their family roots to far more oppressive and non-democratic regimes.

British-Pakistani boxer Amir Khan, one of the most prominent flag wavers among the nation's Muslim population, often speaks in interviews about his sense of national pride.

The poll of 2000 people, taken by the think tank Demos, was designed to find what symbolises the best of Britain.

The report found: 'This optimism in British Muslims is significant as - combined with their high score for pride in being British - it runs counter to a prevailing narrative about Muslim dissatisfaction with and in the UK.'


Perhaps the answer to this may be found in a further comment in the article:-

"Around half of people questioned for the survey said they believed Britain benefited from being a multicultural country."

Here is the link to the full story >>> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2063828/Muslims-patriotic-British-people.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

17 comments:

  1. This Demos poll of only 2000 unspecified people
    is almost totally meaningless. Maybe there is a trend of polarisation in the four states and
    in England specially, but you can't take any
    firm meaning from such a small survey. As for
    Moslems feeling more British, that's likely as they get nearer to making up the majority on the island. Very, very few of this group have ever
    adapted to any of the indigenous customs or any part of the way we do things here. As Ethnic Britons leave the large urban areas [white flight], it is pretty clear now that time is running out for the natives, unless a total
    sea-change in attitudes occurs. As you say,
    quite why the Backstabber [Cameron] is still pumping this country full of unassimilable
    settlers is unclear to those of us who think along traditional lines. The effect of this
    is totally disastrous for native Britons.

    ReplyDelete
  2. British Moslems are only proud to be British because Britain is a land of golden opportunities
    for them whereas Pakistan is a basket-case of a
    country where the national pastime is blowing someone up .

    ReplyDelete
  3. to be English you need to be a white Christian.
    it has nothing to do with racism but everything to do with race,if you mix black and white you get Grey,as for Muslim being more patriotic, Hogwash, a cover story till they embed themselves into our society, then into councils then parliament then its to late England and the English need to stand up and be counted before we have nothing to fight back with

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  4. Alex Salmon is great! I think he is wonderful! I want him to be the saviour and leader of a Scottish country and leave the United Kingdom!

    I am English!

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  5. why does religion always get dragged up, in my eyes that's the problem,
    who cares what some guys did and claimed 2-4 thousand years ago,
    ban them all,
    it's time to start believing and having faith in ourselves, instead of some imaginary being that doesn't exist,
    wake up world.

    ReplyDelete
  6. THIS IS FAR TOO LONG, HALF WAY DOWN YOU LOSS INTREST AND DON'T READ ANYMORE.
    You will get more votes if you stop slagging off other parties an say what you are going to do, with a short,sharp, to the point email.

    ReplyDelete
  7. We English are stirring and rising to demand our rights and equality.To have a English Parliament with English MPs not british english or welsh or scots but"ENGLISH" ENGLISH, who will stand up and be counted, who will fight for our Democrocy and Freedom of British rule ENGLAND we will never surrender !

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  8. There are 650 MPs in Parliament, 533 of which represent English constituencies. If the 32 Welsh, 59 Scottish and 16 Northern Irish MPs all voted together, it would still require the votes of 209 English MPs to gain a majority.
    How can the Northern Irish, Scottish and Welsh MPs be considered to undermine English Democracy when combined they don't reach 1/3 of the votes required for a majority in Parliament?
    English voters is let down by English resident MPs who don't bother to vote, not MPs in the other parts of the Union that do.

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  9. Muslims are NOT British, (unless they are atives who have converted to that religion. They may have a British passport). But then again, what is a passport? It is a piece of paper and a piece of paper can say anything can't it!

    Lawrence Rustem

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  10. Its associated with identity. Anyone can have a British passport. Its worthless. Only indigenous people can be English,Irish , Scots or Welsh. All English people despise being categorised with moslems and therefore increasingly reject 'Britishness'.
    If you want to know what a true Brit looks like and what his religion and culture are; look at the faces of the repatriated soldiers, especially the last few weeks, and the burials they have received - Christian. This shows that they may not have been church goers or overt believers, but have buried and remembered their colleagues before Christ and those left behind have expected for them the same. Being a Christian is much more than taking communion or being born again. It is so much part of our culture that it is taken for granted. You only miss the water when the well runs dry. The muslems regard us as Christians so do the jews. We have merely been persuaded otherwise.
    Who will fight for their country is a good test for Britishness. Despite our differences any man from the home nations would implicitly trust his fellow soldier from the British Isles. No man can serve two masters.

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  11. aint no black in the union jack

    ReplyDelete
  12. I am an ENGLISH man I was in favour of joining the common market. It is always a good idea to look for ways to increase your market. But that's it! I was never in favour of any political participation, and certainly not in favour of the incorrectly elected money sqandering over paid idiots that run the show now and are leading us by the nose into a global economic disaster. Thank god we didn't join the euro. Time I think for us to stand up and disobey European laws and do what we want. Fat chance of that while Cameron is in charge or should I say Clegg hmmn difficult call that. I am English and I have nothing against the Muslims, but I was always taught “When in Rome do as the Romans do” I think that should apply here and we certainly should not be considering making other races laws part of our laws. Only British law for Britain. Anybody comes to England lives by and obeys our law.

    Douglas Ashdown

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  13. I care not what is said there is no black asian, muslim or what ever that can call them selves, either british and especially not english they are what they were when thier parents and grandparents decended upon these shores at the behest of tratorious governments. and we digeneous people are certainly reaping the ill begotten benifits of them now

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  14. Britain and The English are governed by Democratic Government.
    The Muslims are governed by religious law and no religion has ever been or ever will be democratic. Religions are like electric drills, they are power tools!
    Douglas Ashdown

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  15. In the U-tube item on Islam in Belgium, the Vlams Belang Euro MP [I think?] asked the young mullah,'if you hate this country, if we are all animals to you, if we are all horrible racists,why do you stay in our country, why don't you go back to your own wonderful country?' To which the desert attired young Moslem quite honestly answered,' democracy and Islam don't go together, it is like drinking milk and orange juice together. If you 13 million Belgian Christians will all convert to Islam there is no problem. Otherwise we will push you into the North Sea or execute all of you'.He meant it seriously. There are about one million Moslems in Belgium, about 8% of the population, but it is already clear that there is going to be big trouble.

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  16. basically the thing is that it is the moher tongue and cant neglect it as the base language cannot be disturbed ever .
    Study English in UK

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  17. This quote "Muslims 'are more patriotic" already proves it.

    study english in England

    ReplyDelete