(2003) In a break from HQ “tradition”, here’s a piece based on Ruairidh’s “Utopia”, concerning not just BA’s break from national tradition itself but the tale of the complete pig’s breakfast it became once its national identity died. What’s more, I’m running it in three places … here, at OoL and at Jstack … on the grounds that it is important enough for this nation supposedly known as “Britain” for it to appear in three places. First the youtube:

Long ago, I was part of various educational curricula which sold a particular brand … a “British” education, and that included in other countries where it was known as EFL and other acronyms, complete with examination systems which the world valued.

Interesting, upon my return, to see that Jack Straw’s loathing for the “English” would be embraced by anyone at all within “England”, esp. those enjoying her benefits, along with Blair’s loathing, Brown’s, Sturgeon’s etc. History is history and the Irish and Scots do have a historical case imho, to be not all that enamoured of the English but then there was the Barnett formula and the West Lothian question, was there not?

It was the “British” army, it was pretty clear that the mass of regions within regions … well where is the line drawn? The line of national consciousness? Does this land really want another Wars of the Roses? Really? Another ’45? I only have one flag in this place, can’t remember where now but it’s the St George’s Cross. In day to day affairs, I’m mainly dealing with those thinking of themselves as British, though some think of themselves as Scouser or Mancunian or even Salopian.

Judging by the Scottish referendum, sufficient people subscribed to “Britishness” to make day to day living and travel, even fighting abroad a “doable” thing, a workable concept … it had been Rule Britannia ruling the waves rather than Rule Anglia, though in Russia I was called Anglichanan and the Americans keep using the term English … no argument from me but within these shores, British is a workable concept.

What it is not is a Caliphate, nor a type of Punjab and in fact, no one was more “British” than the non-Brit coming in through “the right channels” … Somerset Maugham touched on it all in Mr. Know-All:

“ “I am Mr. Kelada,” he added, with a smile that showed a row of flashing teeth, and sat down.

“Oh, yes, we’re sharing a cabin, I think.”

“Bit of luck, I call it. You never know who you’re going to be put in with. I was jolly glad when I heard you were English. I’m all for us English sticking together when we’re abroad, if you understand what I mean.”

I blinked.

“Are you English?” I asked, perhaps tactlessly.”

I looked up the name Kelada … Egyptian, Indian, African, somewhere around there. The last thing Mr. Kelada would have wanted, I’m sure, is that pig’s breakfast on the tail of what should have been, in everyone’s mind, a British aircraft. The word “Chatham” for the Concorde’s livery was a black joke in itself … associated with destroying “Britishness” … ruled from Davos … yet the livery was readily identifiable as British.

What do you feel about Alice Weidel or Christine Anderson in Germany? I feel close to them, also Kassandra in Greece, Mandy Gall in Ireland … they’re loyal to their people … MAGA too. Subrosa in Scotland. Doonhamer, it goes on.

Those I feel not the least close to are those trying to wreck our respective identities, e.g. this EU excrescence. And the ones coming up with those awful tailfin designs for BA would have been better strangled at birth.

The Woke left mind virus is insidious, is it not? What you can never explain to them is that we’re already global in friendship on our side of the ledger, without claiming their land as part of some global, muddy mish mash mess. Artificial. Contrived. Like Net Zero.