british or english

[johnnyedge]

I can trace my birth line back to the 1750s all of which are 100% English decent. I filled a form in for the doctors yesterday and when asked for my nationality i put Engish, this was crossed out by the doctor and changed to British, when i protested he said that he has been instructed that that is the correct way to describe my nationality. I told him that i was born in England which makes me English, England is in the British Isles which is a geographical fact, would a French man be happy being called European because France happens to be part of France. Why not go the whole hog and call us all Earthlings. What do others think is correct?

[Buenchico]

I refuse to be called either English or British. I'm European and proud of it. (I never stand for the UK's National Anthem, which calls for a god I don't believe in to 'save' a monarch I refuse to acknowledge. I'll always stand for 'Ode to Joy').

However, irrespective of our differing opinions, all UK citizens are 'officially' called 'British'. (i.e. that's the convention used for census returns, etc). That applies even to those who live in Northern Ireland, which isn't part of 'Great Britain'.

Chris

[Booldawg]

I'm English and British in the same way that someone can be Texan and American. Sure there is banter between us, but then again there's banter between someone from Wiltshire and Yorkshire.

We're too small a country to make petty separations and I feel respective goverments have been keen to 'Conquer and Divide'

[brifos]

We were taught at school that England is a country, not a Nation; it is part of the British nation, so one's nationality is BRITISH - and proud of it!

[weeal]

why does it bother folk so much ?

I dont demand to tick a box saying Scottish !

[Booldawg]

because people feel a need to belong. If you break it down to the lowest common denominater then the people in the next street hate you because you live in the next street. It really is as petty as that. You either subscribe to that mentalty or you dont.

[Lakitu]

I say I'm British when asked on forms but I'm having a right old giggle @ 'earthling'. I might just put that on the next form I fill out LOL :o)

[dot.hawkes]

I hold a British passport, not an English passport, nor a Yorkshire passport (land of my birth) nor a LANCASHIRE passport, (where i live) nor a Greater manchester passport (where I work).

[TCL-MUMPING]

Northamptonshire is in England which is also a geographical fact but that does not make Northants a nation and the last time I checked, Europe was not a nation so it follows that European is not a nationality.

If you think that England is a nation then where is the English Government?

[Lakitu]

I want to be President of the Earthling Nation.

[dot.hawkes]

i can trace my line (well my Dad's line) back to 1430 and they were all very English too, but that guy who turned up in Chester in 1430 and was admitted to the Chester Guild was from Roscommon. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[Segilla]

I once heard Prof AJP Taylor say, in one of his famous TV lectures (which he spoke without notes and finished exactly on time), that up to c, 1914, Britain was always called England..