Nationalism

In the scheme of things Great Britain is a very small country. However, within our boundaries we have a very diverse population and I don't mean the newcomers. Britain was very diverse and culturally very rich long before we were forced into accepting immigrants from elsewhere.

Within a relatively small land mass we have accents, attitudes and loyalties which are so utterly different that it almost became our trademark. It exists today and nowhere is it illustrated more than the difference between the Scots and the English. I was reared in England by Scots parents and so I had a foot in both camps from my early childhood. My father was a railway union official and that was expected from a child of Motherwell because almost all the working class were endemically socialist. He could never have dreamed that the modern socialists would be so inept that they would lose Scotland.

The Scots however, have always had that streak of nationalism in their psyche. I was educated by my grandmother about Culloden, Bannockburn and Flodden. It is Scottish history and Scottish nationalism. It is what they do. If the English spoke in the same tones it would be frowned upon. The English do not flaunt their nationality, it is their birthright, it is accepted as their heritage. It has so far been given and so far not been taken away.

So to be a nationalist in Scotland is respected, expected and admired but below that imaginary line from Gretna to Berwick the role of the nationalist is derided. It is a very thin line in attitude and cannot purely be down to geography. The English have that apathetic confidence that their birthright will never be revoked. They close their eyes to the invasion of their inner city areas, the 'mission creep' of their  eroding services and rights and the changing face of England.

So in England the nationalists are termed 'racists' and they may be racists among them because they have more to tolerate than their 'cousins' north of the border. Racism is not an admired trait but the Scots have been 'racists' for years in a strangely acceptable manner. We knew how they viewed the English and somehow we accepted it because they were people who we fought shoulder to shoulder with in two World Wars. They have earned our respect.

The term 'racism' did not enter our society until the Asians arrived. They knew all about racism because they brought it here. The tribal behaviour of the Sikhs, the Hindus, the Muslims, the Buddhists and the Arabs has infiltrated our society. Until they arrived all we had to consider were the Scots/English (delete as applicable). The Scots have rejected Westmonster (even the socialists) we in England must follow their lead.

We in England must learn to become Nationalist before it is too late. We no longer have an option. The EU does not bat for England. The EU does not bat for anyone apart from the EU, the banks, the press barons and the new world order. Someone created the EU out of nothing so now we must create a pride in England out of nothing. We need a leader. At the moment the only candidate appears to be Nigel Farage. Can anyone think of anyone else?