‘British’ can be used as shorthand for ‘English’ suggests Rishi Sunak
The Prime Minister has suggested that the word ‘British’ can be used as shorthand for ‘English’.
Appearing before the Westminster’s Liaison Committee, Rishi Sunak was asked why the UK Govern call things British that should only apply to England because they’re devolved to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
He was questioned specifically on why they had decided to call the English baccalaureate the “British Baccalaureate” when education is devolved – and Wales has its own Welsh Baccalaureate.
“It’s actually a shorthand that people use, because of the alliteration, for having a broader qualification,” Rishi Sunak responded. “I don’t think it’s meant to be in any way a reflection on the devolution settlement.”
He was asked about the name of the baccalaureate by SNP MP Joanna Cherry.
“You mentioned a British baccalaureate there,” Cherry began. “I’m not saying it’s a bad idea, but it would of course be an English baccalaureate wouldn’t it, because education is fully devolved.
“My point was, if there’s to be a British baccalaureate it would not be a British baccalaureate, it would be an English one because education is fully devolved to the Scottish parliament.
“It’s not a trick question Prime Minister, it’s just a really simple point.”
Rishi Sunak responded to say that “British Baccalaureate” was “shorthand” for an English baccalaureate, and emphasised that he “wasn’t disagreeing” with the fact that education was devolved.
The UK Government have been keen to avoid the word England when describing their own remit, including rebranding Highways England as National Highways.
Only 15 of 422 UK Government agencies and bodies have titles that refer to England only.
They are Active Travel England, Arts Council England, Boundary Commission for England, Forestry England, Health Education England, Historic England, Homes England, NHS England, Natural England, NHS England, Natural England, Social Work England, Sports England, Valuation Tribunal for England, and Visit England.
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Cultural appropriation. They’ve stolen the title to legistimise their takeover of these islands. Lladron ac ysbeilwyr ydynt. Adferwn y tiroedd coll a chodwn faner lân y Brytaniaid fry drachefn.
If he cannot tell the difference between England and the UK then he is truly unfit to be Prime Minister. But then again if the Tories had it their way England fans would still be flying Union Jack’s and not the St Georges Cross.
Perfect choice to disappear our Island home up a well known rope trick…
You have to admit the aristo’s and fatcats have played a blinder, they fielded a team on the Tory front bench that has left this country at the bottom of the league, just the fire sale to go…
It is ideological language, naturally, but Sunak is also a shining example of private education – thick as a plank, in other words. What we have to ensure is that we use the correct wording for his benefit – i.e. English Government, English media, English Royal Family, Prince and Princess of England, and so forth.
By calling themselves British, don’t they realise they are claiming to be wannabe Cymry?
Fourteen not fifteen, unless there are TWO NHS Englands! If that’s Sunak’ maths error, why was he ever a banker?
Bankers not known for being numerate. They are fed numbers by underlings and exploit them to the max. As for Rishi he’s just a muddled idiot, dangerous because he’s got access to some important levers but doesn’t really know what happens if he should use them.
Nor for reason or any sense reading Rishi’s explanation here.
Two Natural Englands as well – so that makes it 13!
The Welsh, Scottish and English nations are indeed British. I am a British pluralist and recognise these historic nations. Tories, however, have succumbed to an imperialist English Nationalism that conflates Englishness with Britishness to the exclusion of all else. That’s precisely what Gwynfor Evans was referring to in his famous quote. I will never ever accept it.
So a Country founded by Saxons can call itself British? But the British who founded Wales must call themselves “Welsh”? Or worse still, choose to – Foreigners on their own Island! The ONLY nation with a name that can be used interchangeably with British is Wales!
The name Britain literally comes from Prydain, a word from a language native to this island and a language they’ve spent hundreds of years trying to eradicate. You can see why now! They want ultimate control of this island and they only way they get it is if the actual British (Now known as Welsh) are either no more or absorbed. Yma O Hyd! The clear reason why they want the language gone is so our population refer to themselves as “Welsh” as that’s what they call us in English. Which in turn creates a separation from our current population… Read more »
Well said. Time to reclaim the name. Proudly and loudly.
Rishi with his British Bacc reminds me of that funny old Indian army character who used to appear in Windsor Davies’ “It ain’t half hot” decades ago. It was all “We British” in a half baked Indian accent. Now it’s all “We British” in a poshed up toff accent. No thing improves that phrase however it is delivered.
He has just announced the Gov. are going to trademark British like Cariad was briefly. Lawers and Bankers learn very little history, their geography limited to Tax Havens…Sunak and Hunt inc, they sound like a firm of asset-strippers to me…
They can’t allow any name that shows we are not them.
Same tactic as their government and anthem, then they’ll use that to claim they are hard done by some how.
They erase their own identity in order to erase ours.
English is British, thus we are either English or Other.
It is blatant imperialism, colonialism, and a step towards more ethnocide. Real us and them stuff. Assimilate and obliterate.
I’m Cymraes not British.
I am Welsh and British. If you have a problem with that you have a problem.
Welshman: I’m Welsh, not British!
Englishman: We English can call ourselves British then.
Welshman: That’s cultural appropriation. We Welsh are the real British.
Englishman: You just said you’re not British.
Welshman: I can be British when it suits me!
Yes! This is what happens when you have centuries worth of education taught from a foreign perspective. Then throw in what England has done while using the name British! And it all mixes into the British (Welsh being the actual British) rejecting their own identity. Which in turns allows the English to keep using the Term…It’s a clear Anglo plan to not only steal Wales’ island and resources, but its native peoples very identity. In some walks of life, that’s called identity theft and fraud.
Most of English is French these days.
Given his ethnicity he probably should be aware that the British East Empire Company was, before 1707, the English East Empire Company and that its symolism reflected that. Likewise the colonies in America were English North America (hints of this remain in the region named New England – specifically not New Britain). Crazy how this stuff disappears down the memory hole.
Why does any English person vote for a party which denies and buries their identity? Can Sunak be surprised that 55.2% of people in Wales declare themselves ‘Welsh only’ on the Census form when people like him say British is English is British is English is British? No shorthand here. Both words have seven letters. It’s time ‘British’ was returned to being a collective term only to describe people from this island without the jingoistic aggression with which it has become associated and true nationalities must take precedence.
The Welsh Baccalaureate is now known as the Skills Certificate Challenge (in my school, anyway. I can’t speak for others). We no longer call it the Welsh Baccalaureate.
Although I should add that this applies to the lessons and that the qualification the students get on results day are still called the Welsh Baccalaureate.
Although I should add that this applies to the lessons and that the qualification the students get is still called the Welsh Baccalaureate.
It’s too late to save the word British. It means England. Let’s stick to Cymru, no point trying to reclaim the title now.
And the 2 and half thousand years of history that’s tied to the name? That rightfully belongs to the people of Wales, Not England! They will have more than the name should the people of Wales surrender it.
He can have the title British – I want my Scottish passport not the ‘shorthand for English’ one
British and/or Welsh makes absolutely no sense…as they may be words that have different origins but they still refer to the same people. So effectively the “Welsh” are the only ones that can use the term British interchangeably. The Britons of Wales can only reclaim these titles if they are actually aware, and care about their island and nations history.
British is shorthand only for the Welsh. All others are later immigrants.
As sunak sets such store by the importance of alliteration, maybe the conservative party should henceforth be known by their alliterative name. ‘Conservative C#nts’?
The current resident of No. 10 is an ignorant little boy, despite the allegedly best education his parents could buy him.
I would like to gently take issue with the term “Best Education” and suggest that what you really mean is “Most expensive Education”. In the current Tory Party it is very clear that such expensive education is certainly not very good at producing rational, logical and fair minded people with a social conscience. To my mind any eductional system that attempts to show the students the benefits of such an approach to life could be called a ‘good’ education but these expensive schools do not achieve that. The Tories seem to come out with colonial attitudes, inflated views of their… Read more »
Well, at least we have it stated as clear as can be that in the PM’s belief England IS Britain.
A British qualification that is not British eh, how does that work. Not really promising for an educational qualification is it?