well said, although the hertiages and cultures of England, Scotland Ireland and Wales, are interwoven owing to the factthat people and their music have freely travelled, between the four countries exchanging ideas etc. all these countries have their own natinal saints and flags and its not the Union Jack. Englands problem is that they are represented by the English folk dance and song society who put dance before song[ Ipraise them for their hallamshire instigation.] what is needed ie a seperate English folk song society. or a change in attitude at efdss as to the importance of song. If iwas in Scotland I would be campaigning for a separate Scottish folk dance and song society[If they alreadyhave one please excuse my ignorance]. and as you rightly say english politicians seem to be scared of admitting that england has its own national heritage and folk music, and reluctant to recognise and encourage it, yet they recognise that the scots, welsh and irish have their own identies and folk music,perhaps they misunderstand or are afraid that this might imply extreme right wingpolitical views, its nothing of the sort only purely logical, by the way I live in ireland but i care about all traditional music wherever its from, including England ,