Bestowing Britishness on the British people

Britishness is an area that I'm very much interested in for one reason or another. There are several lessons that we need to learn, too many to list in just one blog. So I'll spread it out.

Today's lesson is- You can't prescribe Britishness

There's been seveal proposals from varying people in politics to encourage, or what I see as to prescribe Britishness on people. For example having an additional bank holiday to celebrate Britishness and another to have children pledge allegiance to our Queen.

Now, what these people don't understand is that you simply can't prescribe, or bestow upon people Britishness. Britishness is an experience related to identity and an identity related to experiences. The best way to promote 'Britishness' as an identity is to make it a positive experience being in Britain.

To have a National British Day is all well, to hand out flags and get people to wave them about but people won't feel British for waving their flag, they'll wave their flags for feeling British.

So let's stop bestowing Britishness on people. Let's give people opportunities, prosperity and a constructive lifestyle; they're all things which will help people love Britain and feel British.