David T Breaker, author of News Junction, writes the latest instalment of ConHome's series on patriotism.
What is “British-ness”?
It’s a question loved by Britophobes, thinking that it can lead only two ways; into the realms of the goody-goody concepts of the politically correct such as tolerance and diversity which are shared by everyone but sociopaths, or into the land of the tea drinking, football watching and patiently queuing stereotypes which are far from universal. Either way they can claim that these things do not make us unique, and thus devalue if not totally undermine the concept of being British and having a British State.
But it’s a question which has increasingly come to the minds of conservatives, this time in the context of how best to celebrate it.
It’s a sign of how far thought has moved in a few years. Once most Conservatives, myself included, felt that celebrating our national identity just wasn’t British. In 2005 I may have agreed with Liam Fox that public buildings should fly the flag, although found it a bit American sounding, but equally agreed with David Cameron’s view that we aren’t a “flags on the lawn” type of country. Now I like seeing flags on lawns and feel revitalising British patriotism is vital.
Tim wrote an open letter to David Cameron urging for patriotism, and soon had a suitably sound reply Donata Huggins has started debates on which historic figures we should all know about and what day we should celebrate Britain. Back on St George’s Day I wrote on Platform about how that day should mean something to the English and should be marked, and so too must a suitable day for Britain.
Maybe it’s the rise of separatism in the Home Nations, or of the BNP, or the ever encroaching EU and Lisbon Treaty. Maybe it’s the impact of the 7/7 bombings, or a reaction to the failed theory of state multi-culturalism and the New Labour dogma of a “community of communities”. Maybe it was seeing the risk of Gordon Brown hijacking patriotism and turning it into all that is meaningless, ersatz and tacky. Or maybe it’s seeing the patriotism of our soldiers as they risk their lives in our name, under our flag, for our Queen and for our Country.
In the end it doesn’t really matter why. We all knew a sense of patriotism is necessary for the confidence of individuals and the country, confidence needed in times of crisis more than ever, and have now come to see that this vital civilisational confidence – patriotism – has been so severely undermined that our laissez-faire organic attitude to patriotism which has served us so well in the past just isn’t enough any more.
A lack of confidence is debilitating. As the historian Kenneth Clark stated "It is lack of confidence, more than anything else, that kills a civilisation. We can destroy ourselves by cynicism and disillusion, just as effectively as by bombs.” We see this cynicism and disillusion in the anger over MP’s expenses, a lack of pride in many areas, and the fragmentation of society into "victim groups". And this is serious. As Daniel Hannan wrote, “Accountable democracy demands that people feel enough in common one with another to accept government from each other's hands. Take away the demos, the community with which we identify when we use the word ‘we’, and you are left only with the kratos, the power of a state that must compel obedience by force, because it cannot appeal to civic patriotism.”
The need for a day to mark and kick-start this country’s pride and common bonds has never been greater; but this doesn’t answer what British-ness is, how to celebrate it and when.
We can look back through our history and find many great achievements we could mark, but inferring a set of national principles from the anniversary of a battle or document is difficult. Trafalgar or Waterloo are good candidates, as are many others such as VE Day, but how can you really choose just one? The Magna Carta is a great document, but it’s a hard to read document largely (but of course not entirely!) comprising individual grievances of no relevance today. Even the founding date of the Union could be one of many dates and is lacking real national values. It really needs a human angle.
Back in April I agued that the true meaning and enduring value of Britain was freedom, and accepting that freedom is “what” Britain is also answers the how and the when of the National Day Debate.
Who unites such diverse figures as Mo Mowlam and Margaret Thatcher, and a vast majority of the public, under his banner to be the Greatest ever Briton? Who stood for freedom – and almost every other value we associate with this island nation from perseverance and determination to principle, integrity and courage – even when it seemed all had been lost, or when it was so deeply unfashionable it lead to isolation. Who really could represent that that is Britain – freedom and liberty – and the strength never, never, never to give up in its defence. It can only be the man who first warned that freedom was at risk, as it may be in different ways today, and who lead us to its defence. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill.
Churchill stood for Britain and all that Britain stood for, and when he died all of Britain stood for him. From the grandeur of a State funeral and military parade through the lowering of the cranes along the Thames to the salutes of lone veterans in line-side gardens, allotments and crossings as his funeral train passed by, Churchill united this country in life and death, war and peace, and if anything or anyone can unite us again, it’s him and what we can learn from him.
So if we need a day, we need Churchill’s birthday: 30th November.
