England forever !

There's a lot on the internet at least about the English "national identity". Especially since the government comes up with its cack-handed proposal for a "Britain Day". First they erode democracy with devolution to everone but the majority, thereby creating two classes within the country, then they want to celebrate the "things that we have in common".
A sense of fair play, for starters.
And a recognition that England is a country - perhaps start by getting Europe to put the name on its map? And to give us a vote on devolution.
We only want the rights everyone else has.

But to the point.
One can hear people denying that there is an "English national identity". After all, there are so many different cultures that make up the country, so many different national origins, they aren't really one nation, are they?
Are these commentators on another planet? Does anyone say that the Welsh are a single culture? Are the Lowland Scots the same as the Highlanders? Blue and Green Glaswegians wouldn't agree they are the same. And the Northern Irish?

The fact is - and it's a remarkable fact that this is rarely noted - that the English are what they are simply because we all live here.
There is no requirement to be of "English blood". (Unlike Germany, which still has a race-based nationality).
Just one simple question: are you born here? Makes you English.
Or, you voluntarily come to live here and to submit to our laws.

England is here, and will not go away. And don't forget that.

Years ago, I lived abroad and had to fill in official forms.
Address: easy - "United Kingdom".
Nationality: easy - British passport, so "British".
Country of birth: I often paused and wondered what to put. Neither of the above options seemed right. Eventually I settled on "England", but did wonder what the significance was.

Now I know. England is home, England is the source of our liberties and traditions and rights. England is forever.

National Anthem

Went to the pub on Saturday to watch the Israel-England football match. Dull game.

A thought did occur to me though, when the anthems were sung.

If England had chosen to drop "God save the Queen" in favour of a specifically English anthem, they might well have had "Jerusalem", which would be many people's choice.

So the Israelis would have sung "HaTikvah", about the hope of the Jewish people "to be a free nation in the land of Zion and Jerusalem".
And the English would have sung about the desire "to build a new Jerusalem in England's green and pleasant land".
No doubt confusing to a neutral.