Being British

There has been much debate about Britishness and who is British. Some say only someone born in the UK to British parents is truly British. This would rule out may good Brits who have UK passports and are legally settled here. In  practice anyone is British who was born here or who successfully applies for British citizenship. So why is there an issue?

Wish for change, or worries about how to define Britishness is a product of rapid high volume migration into the UK in recent years. It led Parliament to put in a test for applicants to become citizens to show some knowledge of UK history and customs. It has led the public to demand much lower rates of citizenship grants and inward migration.

Many of us have an idea of what being British is, but not all our ideas agree with one another. We do not say to someone born of UK parents in the UK they are not British because they want to abolish the monarchy or give the country away to the EU or spend their time condemning our history. We disagree with them revelling in  the democratic freedoms of our country to disagree about such fundamental issues. A criminal does not lose his citizenship though he may lose rights to liberty and to vote.

We can say to people seeking to come here and applying to be UK citizens that if their intent is  to come to be criminals or terrorists we do not want them. If they despise or hate our country they would be best advised to go elsewhere. We can say to people on low and no incomes thinking they might be more prosperous in the UK they can only come and settle if they get a job and pay their own bills and show they will make a contribution. We can have benefit and housing  rules that favour settled UK citizens over new arrivals, taking the view many take that charity begins at home.

If someone gains the privilege of becoming a UK citizen they have won one of life’s bigger lotteries. Free health care, heavily subsidised social housing, a wide range of benefits for any of life’s hazards, good free education for children are all available for UK citizens meeting the criteria. The UK has been too free with its grants of citizenship, adding to strains on the NHS. housing and the benefits bill.

Being British is also about the shared history, the culture, the English language, the traditions we enjoy together. These will be different for individuals free to make their own choices from a rich palette of choices. If too many people are admitted who have not been brought up in these surroundings with that common culture it gets more difficult to define what being British is, and unsettles more who have been born and brought up here.