English Identity Part 2

[Amaw2008]

An interesting debate has opened up about Englishness and English identity. This seems particularly strong in the north of England. There is an anti-establishment viewpoint, not very friendly towards either the monarchy or London. Well, being London born (although with a Lancashire mother), maybe I'm not an average northerner, but I'd ask everyone in the north to think carefully, that's England's capital your against, and England's queen. There's a lack of royal connection to the north, all of her palaces are either in southern England or Scotland; maybe we need a few more visits here. On the subject of devolution for the north, the idea of a regional assembly was dropped because of a total lack of support. We now have "Local Authorities Leaders' Boards", not a very inspiring name, but at least it means that the spending of Lancashire's share of government money is decided by Lancastrians, not by Geordies or Yorkshiremen. On the subject of Yorkshire, that county seems to me the epicentre of such anti-establishment feelings, based on the origins of many of the posts. Doncaster, as far as I know is the only place to have elected an English Democratic party mayor, although he was later sacked for corruption. Lancashire ( I include Manchester and Merseyside i.e. pre-1973 Lancashire) shares some of those feelings but with a little more humour and less venom than Yorkshire, maybe it's because we have one of the two big cities outside London, a large international airport and three major football teams, which Yorkshire lacks. There are also distant echoes of the old kingdom of Northumbria with it's capital of York and Danish-Viking heritage, echoes which can still be heard in the Leeds United chant of "Yorkshire Republican Army". On things like the Barnett formula, maybe change is needed, but there are several ways of viewing it, don't forget that we still benefit from "Scottish" north sea oil. Also, in answer to the charge of non-English voting on English matters that cuts both ways, the Scots chose neither the Tories nor the Libdems. Turning to London again, they already have an "English regional assembly" of sorts, and a greater degree of immigration than anyone else in England or the UK for that matter; let's hear some of their views. Last year I started a thread regretting that we have no national costume. I suggested clogs, Arthur suggested a form on morning dress but on more careful thought, neither seemed to me satisfactory. I thought about what makes the Scottish kilt impressive, it's humorous without being completely ridiculous and is based on a genuine costume once worn by anti-government rebels, and is unmistakably Scottish. England needs something similar. I pondered for a long while and then it hit me, a Robin Hood type of costume, complete with leather pouch for carrying gold pieces! That's not a bad idea for something to wear next time you're invited to a wedding or "posh do" north of the border. Also, Nottingham is just down the road from Yorkshire, and certainly not southern. What say you men of England, speak now you dogs or forever hold your tongues? The only alternative I can envisage is a mental image of a morose Yorkshireman wearing a nylon replica England shirt telling eveyone to get stuffed.

[Amaw2008]

:engflag::engflag:

[joebloggs]

maybe you should ask the same question to the southerners who work the BBC departments which are moving to media city in salford why some of them dont want to go :D

[Amaw2008]

It's their loss, they'll miss out on an interesting vibrant city. Maybe they still have a 1950's image of Manchester, outside toilets :action-smiley-081:and pigeon racing.

[branno]

every time i smile or speak to a southerner, im deemed psychotic .....:icon_lol::icon_lol:

[Tawi2]

I am a northerner(accident of birth),I left there at 16,its truly grim Oop North,couldnt live there again from choice,I am a stones-throw from Windsor and Hampton Court and I actually like old lizzie ;)

[Englishman2010]

I'm from the East of England and now live in the East Midlands, so I'm neither northern or southern. So I guess that makes me a true Angle-lander as my ancestors would have been the original Angle people from where England got it's name. however, the Angles and Saxons actually came from what is now Germany and the Netherlands:icon_lol:
TBH, living in the middle, I've never really given the north/south divide much thought. I get on with Northerners just as well as I do with Southerners, Westerners, Midlanders, Easterners, Welsh and Scots. We're all British, and whilst we may have some different regional traditions, we all share a common heritage and should all be proud to be British.

[branno]

i know one thing for sure...u get the best asparagus up north and it certainly makes ur wee wee smell .....:icon_lol:

[Ako Si Jamie]

Never been a fan of the monarchy and never will. They're human beings like us and they're no better than us and I don't understand the fascination some people have with them. And for what it's worth, I'm a Southerner!

[branno]

Never been a fan of the monarchy and never will. They're human beings like us and they're no better than us and I don't understand the fascination some people have with them. And for what it's worth, I'm a Southerner!

jamie.. its not ur fault ur a southerner...:icon_lol: only joking :icon_lol:

[Englishman2010]

Never been a fan of the monarchy and never will. They're human beings like us and they're no better than us and I don't understand the fascination some people have with them.

Me neither Jamie:xxgrinning--00xx3: Although if you believe Nigel, they are flesh eating aliens:icon_lol:

[branno]

and im so pleased... sir len hutton was a yorkshireman ....:xxgrinning--00xx3::xxgrinning--00xx3:

[Ako Si Jamie]

jamie.. its not ur fault ur a southerner...:icon_lol: only joking :icon_lol:
It's nobody's fault where they were born or what set of cards they were dealt with in life. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[branno]

It's nobody's fault where they were born or what set of cards they were dealt with in life. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

i couldnt agree more... :icon_lol: i adore flat caps n ferrets ..:icon_lol: and ofcourse the moors n the dales.. :icon_lol:

[Ako Si Jamie]

Why do you lot call baps/rolls a barmcake? :Erm::icon_lol:

[branno]

Why do you lot call baps/rolls a barmcake? :Erm::icon_lol:

why do u lot ask silly questions :icon_lol: a barm cake is a bread bun with flour on top..and it has lovely flavour son ... not like those u get down south .. :icon_lol:

[Ako Si Jamie]

Can't say I remember the flavour :Erm: