I am glad to be British because

The far right BNP. The National Front, Britain First and odd other far right groups (which may have switched names) have in the past' used our Union Flag to as a neo fascist symbol. They used to stick such flags in their windows.

Now when I see one in someone's garden other than at a time of national celebration I right away think of those groups. That comment excludes international sporting events.

A misuse of a national symbol if there ever was one.

Too much negativity is not good for your physical health .....

They'd probably be the same anywhere else, permanently grumpy and negative. They'd get short shrift in most countries if they sneered at the national flag.

If they are so ashamed to be British one wonders why they stay here.

I did think the exchange was very funny, but then realised it was serious

I really can't understand people sneering at the flag of their country. No need to stick the flag-pole up anyone's nose, but to sneer at it is to sneer at themselves.

Durhamjen. You seem almost proud to sneer at our flag. Shame on you.

Good for you Petra, and why should anyone not fly our flag? I did notice on holiday in Wales that many people fly the Welsh flag ( not the Union Jack mind) so we should fly the union flag and also the English flag, plus Welsh And Scottish too depending on where we live. people in other countries fly their flags all the time, without all the nonsense of people sneering at them.

Petra's probably pleased she doesn't live next door to you as well, durhamjen...

Pleased I do not live next door to you, then, petra. In fact I'd definitely avoid your house.

I fly the Union Jack flag in my back garden, I think that tells you how I feel about my country.

Hmm, I have mixed feelings really. Sometimes I feel glad to be British for many of the reasons above, but after ten years in France, some things now feel a bit strange and alien. I am always glad to escape the crowds and the traffic and come back here to big skies, bright stars and absolute silence.
The countryside here in Normandy is green and beautiful and like the England of my childhood. France has a varied and beautiful landscape, is as safe as anywhere in Northern Europe, has a wonderful health service, good natural produce and an excellent infrastructure. People talk all the time about the weather here and are polite and friendly. I have some of the best and most loyal friends that I have ever had in our strong, local community.
But, I can't get to grips with the humour and am forever getting into trouble because my irony and jokes are misunderstood. I miss shopping, theatre, ballet and concerts (the last three available but too far away).
So on the whole I am glad to be British in France with England a short hop across the channel.

I'm glad to be British for all the above reasons plus little things like we always say ' thank you' to the bus driver when getting off the bus, and we so love talking about the weather when meeting someone, to the point it's almost rude not too

Mmm. Good point, roses. I guess I feel comfortable about being British because it's a good country for all the kinds of reasons people have said.

not sure about that, thatbags, as so many want to come and live here. and we don't want to go and live there.
I am English first, British second, Yorkshire last.
not sure what to add , as so many have already given all the good reasons,
this is still a great country to live in, despite the few who obviously would be happier elsewhere.
I like the modest, understated character [ nothing like the U.S. one]
politeness generally, the ability to queue in a friendly patient way, the magnificent and varied countryside.The food, which is so different these days and a great deal of choice,the proper Seasons, old churches, villages of golden stone [or grey] our village pubs! roadsigns that say ducks crossing, free speech, democracy, not too many rules and regulations,
a spirit of enterprise,tolerance of eccentricity.We should think about this more often when we moan, as we have so much to be glad of.

Yes, I agree.

Thatbags I think somehow when we have lived in a place from a young age the familarity of our landscape and way of life is some how very deep in our psyche.

I'm glad to be British because it's where I was born and grew up. I expect I'd feel exactly the same about any other country in which I had been born and grown up. People tend to, don't they?

I'm from Yorkshire originally but I think of myself as thoroughly British. I have as much fondness for the red rose of Lancashire, where I spent the later half of my childhood, as I do for the white rose of Yorkshire where I spent the first nine years of my life. I have two half-Scottish kids and one half-Welsh. Home at the moment is in Scotland and it feels like home but I don't feel particularly Scottish, just British. Actually, the part of Scotland where I live used to be Welsh-speaking.

Oh, and all my kids have Irish ancestors.

Definitely a Brit of the British Isles

You Yorkshire lot can't help yourselves can you. "Gods own county" folk to a tee. (I can understand why as well when I was in the Yorkshire Dales a couple of months ago it's a very lovely county.)

English as a foreign language is not that heard to learn. I was born and raised in Germany and came to the UK when I was 18 on a language scholarship. This was 30 years ago and I never went home. I now use both the German and English language professionally and am completely bilingual. My nationality is British and so is my passport.
Home though is England, Kent, "my beach" where I run with my dogs, roast chicken with stuffing, freedom to think what I want and say what I feel, which is not possible in Germany even now. Too many nonsensical rules and unnecessary regulations over there - they have no compassion, only laws.

I never think of myself as English or British. Yorkshire, yes, but not British.

I am glad that English is my first language too - I would not like to have to learn it as a foreign language!

I think of myself as English, always have. And DH says he is Cornish.
There are so many great things about this country that it would take me too long to list them all. I'm very grateful to have been born here.

Crun I'm a Yorkshire woman and proud of it. I'm also proud to be born British but I'm not, and never could be English since I have no English blood in my veins.
I Scot is always a Scot no matter where he lives and a Welshman ditto. But without English blood how can you be English?

I saw this thread last night and couldn't think of what to say then and still don't. I don't know why I am glad to be British, I just am. We have a lot to be thankful for if we compare the UK to other countries, but some countries do some things better. Overall though, I would rather live in the UK. If I had to pick something in particular, I would be torn between the NHS and that English is my first language.