It’s a question that is asked periodically; what does it mean to be British? With every national event comes another period of soul-searching. Recent events – the royal wedding – and those still to come – the Olympics and the Diamond Jubilee – have certainly given the illusion of a sense of national identity, but does it really extend beyond not being able to move without running into some bunting, or some, erm, knitted corgis?
Monarchy related events are, perhaps, not a fair test of that question. Despite their ups and downs in terms of public opinion, the current British monarchy, and Queen Elizabeth II, have been present in the public consciousness for so long that, even if they don’t believe in the monarchy, most people still do hold some sort of soft spot for them, even if it’s just a feeling of familiarity. No matter what’s going on in the world, it is quite likely that the Duke of Edinburgh will have made an inappropriate comment, or the Duchess of Cambridge will have touched her stomach and probably be presumed pregnant as a result. But what is our national identity without these set piece events? Without the pomp, the circumstance and china bears dressed as William and Kate?
The question of Britishness is one that is currently being asked everywhere, and nowhere it is addressed more comprehensively than in Peter Whittle’s new book, Being British: What’s Wrong With It?
People ask:
“Why do I feel I should keep quiet about being proud to be British?”
“What is it that we should be ashamed of, and apologise for?”
“Why am I frightened of being called an extremist if I want to celebrate being British?”
Peter Whittle has set out to answer these questions. When exactly did we become so sheepish, so tentative, so inhibited? When did British culture change from one which had a basic pride in itself, a pride which could be taken for granted, into one in which a seemingly endless apology, even an outright repudiation of everything about ourselves and our story, was dominant? And why?
With his trademark wit and insight, Whittle explores how, despite being chipped away at from all sides for the past five decades, pride in being British has shown an amazing ability to survive.
With Britain’s values and status maligned and the subject of sneers, no wonder its people are in the midst of an identity crisis. Spurred on by the vexed question of what 'Britishness' actually means, Whittle sets out to examine what, if anything, is actually wrong with being British? More than that, Being British is a humorous and anecdote-packed celebration of the Britain of today, covering some of our greatest national institutions, habits and characters. This is a landmark book as Britain struggles to cement its place in the twenty-first-century.