Ethnic minorities in UK feel most British, research finds
Muslims were most likely to say being British was important
White British people gave the lowest scores on average when asked on a scale of one to 10 how important being British was to them.
Ethnic minorities living in the UK feel more British than their white counterparts, research has revealed.
Muslims are the most likely of all groups to identify with the concept of "Britishness", the Institute for Social and Economic Research found.
The report's authors say the results rubbish suggestions that ethnic groups are unwilling or unable to integrate into British society and show that fears over the negative impacts of immigration on cultural identity are overstated.
The study, named Understanding Society, looked at the socioeconomic circumstances of people living in 40,000 UK households.
Occupants were asked a series of questions, including how important, on a scale of one to 10, being British was to them.
People of Pakistani origin scored the highest with an average of 7.76. Bangladeshi and Indian groups came second and third respectively, while the white population scored the lowest with an average of 6.58.
The study also found that identification with Britishness was higher among the children and grandchildren of migrants.
The research will be presented next week at the Economic and Social Research Council research methods festival by Dr Alita Nandi.
She said: "There is a huge emphasis in public and policy discourse on immigration and its potential challenge to cultural homogeneity and national identity.
"Our research shows that people we might assume would feel very British in fact do not – while others who we might assume would not associate themselves with feelings of Britishness in fact do."
She added: "Many people seem to manage dual identities, and it's interesting to note that in all the ethnic groups we looked at British identity increases from generation to generation, while within the majority white population many maintain strong non-British identities, such as Scots or Welsh. quote
Well the old chestnut arises yet again. I, an indigenous Briton and Englishman, am apparently, according to an immigrant, one Dr Anita Nandi, said not to feel being British is important to me, or, is less so than she and other immigrants, feel about being British. Mind you there is a suttle difference to being say an Englishman, Scotsman, Welshman, or, Ulsterman (or woman) and being British. Though I am both, as were my ancestors and further to be English and British I don't need a passport and neither did any of my ancestors need one. The Union Flag is my flag, it was my family's during the 20th century and my ancestors in the 18th and 19th centuries. Even if a don't always display it, it's always there. It's innate, the passionate feeling for it is permenently present. In fact is a great Love.
Of course identifying with being British or more particularly holding a British passport does bring benefits. For instance it's a route to claiming benefits (having working all my life, I have never had reason to claim any benefits which I have paid for) and it's a route to bringing the family over to Britain, or, I marrying my offspring off to their first cousins in India, Pakistan, Bengladesh, or, whereever, who will then be able to come to Britain. But wait a moment, my family are already here because they are all indigenous Britons born and bred.
However, wait a sec. because there's another test to that of a 'survey' carried out by an immigrant for immigrants. It's the good old 'Cricket Test' or 'Tebbit Test'. Here I quote regarding Norman Tebbit (love him or hate him):
In April 1990, he proposed the "
Cricket test", also known as the "Tebbit Test", where he argued that whether people from
ethnic minorities in Britain supported the England Cricket team (rather than the team from their country of ancestry) should be considered a barometer – but not the sole indicator – of whether they are truly British: "A large proportion of Britain's Asian population fail to pass the cricket test. Which side do they cheer for? It's an interesting test. Are you still harking back to where you came from or where you are?"
So why don't you get down to Lords cricket ground or over to Leeds cricket ground when the England & Wales cricket team are playing Pakistani, India, or Bangladesh and take a 'flag' and 'shirt' survey. Observe for yourselves what it tells you all about 'Britishness' especially second and third generation immigrants.
Further did you watch those Queen's Jublilee street parties and other celebration events for Britain's Queen? If so, what did the 'attending in person', i.e. who were there, and Union Flag and bunting survey tell you about Britishness. Who ACTUALLY took part in them?
Now, if I and others are wrong about the above, today, Saturday 30th June, is British Armed Forces. So you can view tonight's TV News coverage of this patriotic event and see who supported 'our' British Forces. That is if the TV News outlets are honest and show today's celebratory events.
Surveys? Use your eyes!
What does the above tell you? That there are surveys in the written form and there are surveys in the personal attendance form.
Peace.
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Minorities 'feel more British'
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Originally Posted by magwash
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