With recent research from The Times suggesting only 41% of young people are proud to be British – and only 11% are willing to fight for Britain – we spoke to some real people to get their thoughts on what it means to be British today.
Summary.
National pride is low, in large part due to politics.
We aren’t shocked or appalled that people wouldn’t fight for Britain.
We see Britain as a country with racists, not a racist country.
When the NHS flounders, so does our national pride.
We’re proud of our quirks, ashamed of our ignorance.
Most things are getting worse, but inclusion is improving.
British brands aren’t top of mind, but advertisers should embrace Britishness.
National pride is low, in large part due to politics.
Trust in politics has dented national price, with people finding it difficult to feel proud of the country tight now. Some recent stride in leadership on the global stage reminds us of there’s still a flicker of hope, but largely it feels like our national identity has suffered over recent years.
“I don’t feel that people at the moment feel the politicians give much back to the everyday person, so they think what has this country done for me?” - Sarah, 41
“I’ve always found if you have a British flag up or are ‘British British British’ it has negative connotations and people think you’re a racist. It’s basically like saying you don’t like immigrants or multicultural-ness” – Simon, 44
“Politically I think we’re moving in the right direction - especially stepping up as a senior partner around Ukraine.” – Ben, 35
“After everything that went down with Covid, things that we thought were the right thing, and then found out our leaders weren’t doing them. You can see why people aren’t as proud as they used to be” – Eibhlinn, 53
We aren't shocked or appalled that people wouldn't fight for Britain.
The Times reports just 11% of young Brits would fight for their country. No shock, no outrage, our participants get it. Many understand why younger generations feel detached, that they’ve been let down. Patriotism isn’t dead; it’s just quiet.
“I think it’s probably quite accurate. I know I would fight though. I know a lot less people who are proud, and it’s decreasing because of things that aren’t so good, like politics, the economy, and people feeling they’ve been treated unfairly.” - Freddie, 19
“A lot of people are probably thinking why would they want to go out and fight for our country.” - Eibhlinn, 53
“It’s just not ingrained in us, for other countries it’s more ingrained that you’re proud to be from there. For us we don’t have that pride so therefore why would we consider fighting in a war and potentially dying for it?”- Simon, 44
“I think we should be proud of our identity. We’re a nuclear superpower who is still a G7 power-player. Our national identity was weakened by Brexit, but we’ve shown real leadership with Ukraine recently” – Ben, 35
“If it was your own town or village being invaded or under attack then people would fight for their home and their security, but bigger picture wise people don’t necessarily have that loyalty” – Sarah, 41
We see Britain as a country with racists, not a racist country.
Almost half of Gen Z believe Britain’s racist (48% - The Times). This is stark, but not the full picture. Our participants agree racism’s a serious issue, yet they believe the nation’s progressiveness outshines its flaws. Compared to America and Europe, Britain is still moving forward, even if the shadows linger.
“I do think Brits are more understanding of race and sexuality than countries like America. People are a lot more clued up than they used to be. People are more aware of what’s going on and what’s what.” - Eibhlinn, 53
“It’d be unfair to call the whole country racist, because 99% of people aren’t. The people here I’ve seen being racist here get called out for it, and will be disliked, but thinking about places like Italy, Spain, Hungary, racism in football is very prominent and not seen as a big thing.” – Freddie, 19
“It’s getting better as generations are becoming more accepting and understanding, but there’s still a lot of work to do. Also, a lot of it is a subconscious thing; there’s still a long way to go for people’s brains and everyday interactions to change. It’s not going to happen overnight.” – Sarah, 41
“A section of the country is racist. Tommy Robinson and those kinds of right wingers, and maybe the older generations have grown up like that, don’t know any better, and refuse to change and be educated. I wouldn’t say it’s the norm." – Simon, 44
“Whether it’s Brexit, or the immigration debate, the way we badly treated the Windrush people, and the way the last government treated Ukrainian parents and children. Does that make us racist? No. But not very empathetic.” – Ben, 35
When the NHS flounders, so does our national pride.
Nigel Lawson called the NHS “the closest thing the English have to religion.” During the pandemic, we saw that devotion firsthand. But neglect, underfunding, and failed reforms have left the NHS bleeding. Our national pride is taking a hit, and trust in the service is waning.
“The NHS makes me proud, though I might not be if I had to use it these days." – Simon, 44
“The NHS is getting worse, it’s so hard to get seen now. I dislocated my shoulder and was stuck in A&E for 9 hours, things like that shouldn’t be happening in a country like Britain.” – Freddie, 19
“The pressures put on this next generation are horrific in every sense. Mental health is going to be affected, but not enough money is going into mental health." – Sarah, 41
“At the moment everything is getting worse, and trust is completely gone, because people have lost trust in their leaders. I think in that sense they’re not as proud as they were.” – Eibhlinn, 53
“We’ve got doctors & nurses working through the backlog, but some of the unions are willing to strike too often, which feels like going backwards, not trying to get our nation working and operating.” – Ben, 35
We're proud of our quirks, ashamed of our ignorance.
Politeness, football, and boozy nights define us, but they come with flaws. Our cultural arrogance, especially the assumption everyone speaks English, rubs some the wrong way. Britishness, as portrayed globally, often feels stiff and overly polite – a charming yet critical reflection of who we are.
“I think we’re very ignorant when it comes to languages. We travel and expect everyone to speak English, but when people come here, we don’t speak in their language.” - Freddie, 19
“I like our character in our village and towns and the history. I like the freedom to roam in Britain, the public footpaths. You go to countries like Canada that are only 120 years old, they just don’t have the history” – Simon, 44
“When my family come over from Ireland we go to London, do things like afternoon tea, enjoy all the pomp and ceremony” – Eibhlinn, 53
“We rejected a common European identity, rejected the idea that less economically well-off people have a right to be here… it feels more Britain first than it used to” – Ben, 35
“I don’t think other countries view us with much respect, really. I think if you think about how we’re portrayed in comedy sketches, taking the piss out of our over politeness” – Sarah, 41
Most things are getting worse, but inclusion is improving.
Things aren’t perfect – in fact, they’re getting tougher. Yet, local communities are showing resilience, and inclusivity is gaining ground. Britain’s identity is evolving, embracing diversity and a sense of belonging that’s more open than ever.
“If you look at things like inclusion, we’ve moved in the right direction. We’re not ripping up DEI like Trump is. I’d like to think that we’ve done a bit of introspection about the role of colonisation and either through partition in India, Windrush or Hong Kong 1997… we became a lot more inclusive and open about what it meant to be British.” - Ben, 35
“I’m not very patriotic, but I think that we as a country we try to have a strong moral compass, and have that sense of not wanting to offend anybody” – Sarah, 41
“We’re very multicultural, especially compared to countries like Australia that doesn’t let people in and that creates issues in itself, where people stick to their own.” – Simon, 44
“I think since coming to Brighton I’ve met a lot less people who are naturally British, coming from abroad, and they’re adding to the culture here. There’s stuff up for Chinese New Year and it’s more inclusive.” – Freddie, 19
British brands aren't top of mind, but advertisers should embrace Britishness.
Few can name truly British brands anymore. Many see an opportunity for advertisers to tap into Britishness, but it’s delicate ground. Cultural symbols could forge stronger bonds if handled with care, balancing pride with inclusivity.
“People would like to buy things from their own country. If I see things that are local, like local farm produce or high street shops I would prefer to buy from them to support my local area. I imagine people are more inclined to buy from them to help our economy rather than one overseas.” - Sarah, 41
“People would be more inclined to buy a product if they were aware they were British, because they’d want to support their own country, want to help them grow, help the economy grow. People will pay a premium to support local businesses.” – Freddie, 19
“Leaning into Britishness would be good, but given our society it could give them racist connotations. It shouldn’t, but it would do. I think that’s why brands may not do it so much.” – Simon, 44
“I think it might help bring a bit of pride back, realise we’re a good country, we do things right when we do them. Bring people back to why they're proud to be British.” – Eibhlinn, 53
“I think you have to be careful with the narrative you craft around it. You’ve got to lean into what you think it means to be British but it’s such a polarising topic that brands are wary around it.” – Ben, 35
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