The Sincerist Form of Flattery

I chanced across the English Nationalist Alliance this morning and was staggered to see that they've plagiarised my article on English civic nationalism.

Here's what I wrote:

The problem for English nationalists like myself, is that for all our best intentions - arguing for an English parliament that represents all English people regardless of ethnicity - there is no civic nationalism in England, not for immigrants, not for anybody. We English have no collective political representation that allows for an expression of our collective political will, and many or most of our cultural and civic institutions have been appropriated for Britain. Scotland has a Scottish parliament to which all Scots, regardless of ethnicity, elect their Scottish representatives. The Scots also have a National Library of Scotland, a National Portrait Gallery and a National Gallery, and much else besides. Taken apart these things mean little, but taken together an immigrant to Scotland - and I lived there myself for five years - is left in little doubt as to what nation they are in. Minority ethnicities in Scotland are much more likely to prefix their ethnicity with “Scottish” than ethnic minorities in England are inclined to prefix their ethnicity with “English”. In fact ethnic minorities in England almost always refer to themselves as “British-[insert ethnicity here]“. It makes sense as that is how the Government defines them. This fact annoys me greatly, and I think it is divisive and damaging to race-relations in England, but that said I don’t blame the immigrants I blame the political establishment and the race-relations industry.

Without any form of civic nationalism the English seem only to be able to express themselves through sporting tribalism and xenophobia. That is a sweeping statement, but it seems to be the widely held opinion of what Orwell referred to as English intellectuals, particularly those on the left. The Government’s steadfast refusal to allow or build any form of English civic nationalism has created a situation where English pride is exhibited in moments of pure tribalism; St George’s Day and sporting victories are the only times that England’s flag can be waved without accusations of racism. This is wrong, the English flag should fly above the English National Library, the English National Museum, the English Portrait Gallery and, YES, the English Parliament and Executive. Only in that way can we build a civic nationalism for England in which all can take pride. The Government are culpable in making ‘English’ a synonym for ‘Anglo-Saxon’ and in being so they have played into the hands of what Vince Cable refers to as ‘white supremacists’, which - by the way Vince - is not a synonym for “English nationalist”.

And here's what Michael Johnson of the English Nationalist Alliance wrote:

The problem England faces, is arguing for an English parliament that represents all English people regardless of ethnicity - there is no civic nationalism in England, not for immigrants, not for anybody. We English have no collective political representation that allows for an expression of our collective political will, and many or most of our cultural and civic institutions have been appropriated for Britain. Ethnic minorities in England almost always refer to themselves as British; it is then followed by their assumed nationality, British Asian, ECT. It makes sense because that is how the Government defines them. This situation is divisive and damaging to race-relations in England, I don’t blame the immigrants I blame the political establishment and the Party political system that supports this situation to further their own political ambitions. Without any form of civic nationalism the English seem only to be able to express themselves through sporting tribalism and xenophobia. That is a sweeping statement, but it seems to be the widely held opinion of what Orwell referred to as English intellectuals, particularly those on the left.

The Government’s steadfast refusal to allow or build any form of English civic nationalism has created a situation where English pride is exhibited in moments of pure tribalism. St George’s Day and sporting victories are the only times that England’s flag can be waved without accusations of racism. This is wrong, the English flag should fly above the English National Library, the English National Museum, the English Portrait Gallery and, YES, the English Parliament and executive. Only in that way can we build a civic nationalism for England in which all can take pride. Immigrants to England cannot be informed they are British and then be implored to support our English sporting culture. Why should they when they are British not English? Why should they take any note of England’s history or achievements prior to the Act of Union when Britain and their adopted “Britishness” came into being? The sense of Englishness is growing, it has been well documented, and a divide is opening up in England between that part of society who define themselves as English and those that don’t. It is noticeable that those that don’t are overwhelmingly from non-white sections of the population, although it is also noticeable, that some immigrants do refer to themselves as English. I think that this black/West Indian-led revelation has come about through inclusion in English sport mainly football; it certainly hasn’t come about because of our Labour Government; whom constantly seek to define them as Black-British, and whose very policies exclude them from Englishness.

The English Nationalist Alliance is Michael Johnson, English Democrat (ex-England First Party); Bill Baker, ex-English Democrats, and; Lyn Corrigan.