I have tried to resit joining in this thread as best as I can but can't resist any longer.

Without any doubt at all in my mind Scotland, Wales, Ireland and England are four seperate, countries. they should be treated as such. their histories are intertwined and complicated to say the least, but they are seperate.

the arbitary concept of Britain has much to answer for and many of the bad things that have happened in these islands have more to do with this than anyhting else. Most residents of wales (where i live now), Scotland (where I have lived) and Ireland (where I have a little farm) learned many years ago that there is no Britain. Only the people in England (where I was born) are deceived into still believing it exists. I of course forgot that Northern ireland loyalists also belive that there is a Britain, sorry.

Its time for us to accept that we are English rather than British and to be proud of that. And I agree that jerusalem is the best anthem we have.

One thing that really concerns me is the EU intention to turn England into a set of administraitive regions, north, south, south east etc rather than one nation. This regionalisation of the country is something that should be rejected. I honestly belive this is driven by a desire to break up the concept of England.

have a look some of the things Billy Bragg has to say on the subject.

stevethesqueeze