h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The Flag of St George

Posted Jul 26, 2002

Having just watched the first day of the Commonwealth Games I was struck by how the commentators seemed more comfortable discussing the British athletes as English or Scottish or Welsh or from Northern Ireland. I also noticed that instead of a predominance of Union Jacks there were many more Crosses of St George proudly on display alongside the flags of the other so called 'home nations'. It made me think. Only a matter of 12 months or so ago any public display of the Cross of St George was likely to raise a knee-jerk reaction and suspicions about the motives of the individual concerned. A car flying the flag would probably be seen as an act seeking to provoke a reaction. A white man with shaved head wearing a T-shirt on which a red cross is displayed would have been destined to be stereotyped. But over the past 3 months there appears to have been a dramatic change in the publics' attitude towards displaying the flag.

It would have been a brave move by any major political figure to have risked their reputation on changing the 'mood of the nation' by championing the cause of the flag. Equally the best efforts of one of the Marketing Agencies on behalf of perhaps the English Tourist Board to reposition the St George 'brand' would have been likely to fail. So is it as simple as a happy co-incidence of the Queen's Golden Jubilee and the World Cup that has inspired such an outburst of more comfortable English patriotism and the display of the Red cross on a white background with the confidence that it is not signifying support for what most of us would consider extreme and inappropriate political beliefs?

I suspect the seeds of this change were in fact sown when Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales each granted their own distinct version of devolved power. At the same time the development of a more unified European identity is occurring. Both these I think have caused some flux and a subconscious rethink for those of us who have been confused as to whether we are English or British or both. 'To create good neighbours you need strong fences.' I guess that is what devolved power plus a growing European identity might be doing. It seems that since devolution we (English) seemed to suffer a growing sense of unease as to our identity. To a great extent I think we still do have a big problem here but I suspect also that there is just the beginnings of a new form of rediscovery of the English and the English nation.

No doubt this 'New-Nationalism' will have to contend with elements of the worst of the old imperial nationalism. Loosing some traditionally held views might be difficult for some. Sadly at times we will probably take a step back and there will be displays of the darker side of nationalism but equally it does appear possible that this new found Englishness has a chance to be moulded around a more ethical society.

I wonder what other icons of Englishness we have buried in more recent times that will emerge over the coming months and years? Not all of them would be acceptable today but some might find a place. Perhaps this is too optimistic or idealistic but I would like to think I could look back in 25 years at these jottings and say I saw one indicator of the re-birth of more acceptable values embedded into a more diverse but integrated English culture. Where this leaves the important subject of Britishness and all that means will keep for another day but in short I think it could come to describe that which prevails as a common denominator of all those who inhabit all the nations regardless of more closely held traditions.

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Latest reply: Jul 26, 2002