2011 Census: English or British?
A while back I started a pledge bank which stated that I would refuse to fill in the next census "until English is included as a nationality". I started it in a fit of pique after the BBC website (which later turned out to be incorrect) announced that the options for the 2011 census would be "Welsh, Scottish, Irish or British".
The pledge bank failed, but as it turns out the ONS have decided to include English as a national identity anyway.
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What this amounts to is a forced choice question, forcing individuals to choose a primary national identity: English or British. None of that Moreno rubbish, not for the good folks at the ONS. The fact that one cannot select to be both English and British, or Scottish and British, will come as a shock to many people. And I predict that those same people will also be shocked by the results. It will be a graphic and incontrovertible representation of the balkanisation of British identity. Or will it? There's nothing previous to compare it with because at no time in the past has every household had to question whether they are English or British, but that we will be doing so must tell us something.
Sensibly "English nationality" and "English ethnicity" are separated out so that English nationality is available to both the ethnic English and ethnic minorities.
Via Kev.
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Doesn't the word "all" in
Doesn't the word "all" in Tick all that apply suggest you can tick more than one box?
Doh! Oh yes, so it does. I
Doh! Oh yes, so it does. I missed that.
Tick all that apply is a more sensible approach than to just tick one.
I think I had in the back of my mind this story from the Glasgow Herald:
It's the most concise way of
It's the most concise way of conveying this choice but I'm not sure whether it's the clearest. It could probably do with a follow-up sentence - you may tick more than one box.
Well, I missed it - although
Well, I missed it - although it was late at night after some wine.
Perhaps they should add a new
Perhaps they should add a new instruction on the cover - Please complete when entirely sober!
Who would find the time?
Who would find the time?
Look up England in the
Look up England in the Encyclopedia Britannica and you'll find these words:-
"Despite the political, economic and cultural legacy that has perpetuated its name...
England no longer officially exists as a country"
The English must be the only ethnic group in the world to have been deprived of
their identity without a shot being fired.
Last time I crossed the
Last time I crossed the English border I double-checked - the signs are still there - Welcome to England / Croeso i Loegr. You still exist to us!
Hendre: Since we pay for
Hendre:
Since we pay for you, how could we not? Sadly, you still exist for us but the day is not so far off when we'll be rid of the burden that is Wales.
[...] the form for England
[...] the form for England and Wales. As reported by Toque, the 2011 census will ask people the following question about their ‘national [...]
[...] the form for England
[...] the form for England and Wales. As reported by Toque, the 2011 census will ask people the following question about their ‘national [...]
Just so people understand the
Just so people understand the facts. My NATIONALITY is English, my CITIZENSHIP is British. There is no such thing as a "British National". (Hence the way the British passport doesn't actually answer the "Nationality" question properly - it has to say "citizen" after the word "British".)
That's why they are using the word "identity" on the census, to get round all this.
It would be nice if people all knew the difference. The UK is a political union, made up of 4 different nations, 4 different nationalities.
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Leonardo Da Vinci was the first person who designed and drew sketches of interior design of a flying machine with a helical rotor in 1493. The first attempts to build a chopper and powered flight were carried out in twentieth century, and efforts to design an aircraft were started. These aircrafts are Museum objects now, and have attained the popularity and prestige of vintage aircraft.