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‘British’ can be used as shorthand for ‘English’ suggests Rishi Sunak

22 Dec 2022 2 minute read
Rishi Sunak at an event in Edinburgh, as part of the campaign to be leader of the Conservative Party and the next prime minister. PA Media

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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Rhufawn Jones
Rhufawn Jones
1 year ago

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.

Rob
Rob
1 year ago

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.

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
1 year ago

Perfect choice to disappear our Island home up a well known rope trick…

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
1 year ago
Reply to  Mab Meirion

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…

Nia James
Nia James
1 year ago

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.

Blinedig
Blinedig
1 year ago
Reply to  Nia James

By calling themselves British, don’t they realise they are claiming to be wannabe Cymry?

Tom Bennett
Tom Bennett
1 year ago

Fourteen not fifteen, unless there are TWO NHS Englands! If that’s Sunak’ maths error, why was he ever a banker?

hdavies15
hdavies15
1 year ago
Reply to  Tom Bennett

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.

Argol fawr!
Argol fawr!
1 year ago
Reply to  hdavies15

Nor for reason or any sense reading Rishi’s explanation here.

Ann
Ann
1 year ago
Reply to  Tom Bennett

Two Natural Englands as well – so that makes it 13!

Arwyn
Arwyn
1 year ago

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.

Riki
Riki
1 year ago

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!

Riki
Riki
1 year ago

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 »

Last edited 1 year ago by Riki
Blinedig
Blinedig
1 year ago
Reply to  Riki

Well said. Time to reclaim the name. Proudly and loudly.

hdavies15
hdavies15
1 year ago

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.

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
1 year ago

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…

Llefain
Llefain
1 year ago

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.

Chris Hatris
Chris Hatris
1 year ago
Reply to  Llefain

I am Welsh and British. If you have a problem with that you have a problem.

Iago
Iago
1 year ago

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!

Riki
Riki
1 year ago
Reply to  Iago

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.

Lib Dem YesCymru infiltrator
Lib Dem YesCymru infiltrator
1 year ago

Most of English is French these days.

Glwyo
Glwyo
1 year ago

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.

Fi yn unig
Fi yn unig
1 year ago

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.

Mr Williams
Mr Williams
1 year ago

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.

Mr Williams
Mr Williams
1 year ago
Reply to  Mr Williams

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.

Mr Williams
Mr Williams
1 year ago
Reply to  Mr Williams

Although I should add that this applies to the lessons and that the qualification the students get is still called the Welsh Baccalaureate.

David Harking
David Harking
1 year ago

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.

Riki
Riki
1 year ago
Reply to  David Harking

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.

Wynn
Wynn
1 year ago

He can have the title British – I want my Scottish passport not the ‘shorthand for English’ one

Riki
Riki
1 year ago

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.

Cynan again
Cynan again
1 year ago

British is shorthand only for the Welsh. All others are later immigrants.

Martyn Young
Martyn Young
1 year ago

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’?

Steve Woods
Steve Woods
1 year ago

The current resident of No. 10 is an ignorant little boy, despite the allegedly best education his parents could buy him.

Peter Cuthbert
Peter Cuthbert
1 year ago
Reply to  Steve Woods

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 »

Jessie Allaway
Jessie Allaway
1 year ago

Well, at least we have it stated as clear as can be that in the PM’s belief England IS Britain.

Robert Fllyod
Robert Fllyod
6 months ago

A British qualification that is not British eh, how does that work. Not really promising for an educational qualification is it?

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