The dog that finally barked?

The 28th British Social Attitudes survey was published yesterday. British Social Attitudes usually treats us to the data on Constitutional preferences for England, like so:

This is the data that our politicians have traditionally relied upon to utter "there is little/no support for an English parliament". However, this year, following 2008 and 2009's rise in support for an English parliament, the 2010 data is missing. I wonder why.

It may be that IPPR are planning to release the data separately as part of their 'Future of England' research, the data has been held back for IPPR before. Maybe they will spill the beans at this meeting.

The dog that finally barked - England as an emerging political community

Start date: 12 Dec 2011
End date: 12 Dec 2011

Is Englishness now the dominant source of identity for the English?

Monday 12 December, 13.30-15.00
IPPR North offices
3rd floor, 20 Collingwood Street
Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 1JF

Do the English still believe that Westminster is capable of governing in the interests of all parts of England? What do the English want? These are some of the questions that we will explore at this event where Guy Lodge, associate director for politics and power at IPPR and co-author of Brown at 10, will discuss the extent to which a growing sense of Englishness is becoming politicised by drawing on the most comprehensive examination of English public attitudes towards identity, nationhood and governance. As Scotland embarks on another constitutional journey with the promise of an independence referendum before 2016, how long can it be before the English Question grows in prominence?

This event is part of the Ideas on the 3rd Floor programme, which is a series of in-house events on a wide range of topics within politics, culture and society designed to bring the freshest ideas and the most interesting thinkers to Newcastle for intelligent debate of some of today’s most pressing social challenges.

The event is free and open to all but it is essential that you book your place as we anticipate demand will be high and space is limited. Please email north@ippr.org to book.

As to the question of whether Englishness is now the dominant source of identity for the English, a recent poll for YouGov found that it most probably is.

If you had to choose one of the following, would you say you are mainly…
English: 63%
Scottish: 8%
Welsh: 5%
Irish: 1%
British: 19%
European: 2%
Something else: 2%

Whether the apparent rude health of English identity translates into England being an "emerging political community" we will have to wait to find out.