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England is the country that 'dare not speak its name'
Dr David Starkey, the historian and broadcaster, is calling for a revival of English patriotism that recognises the country's unique role in shaping the modern world. Dr Starkey, 59, believes that the reluctance of the English to champion their own homeland means that England "is now the country that dare not speak its name". He also claims that English national identity is in danger of "going down the pan" because of a post-war obsession with the idea of being "British".Dr Starkey's patriotic rallying cry coincides with his new 24-part television series on the nation's kings and queens, which begins on Channel 4 tomorrow night and will continue over four years. Monarchy will profile every English monarch from the year 400 to today at the rate of six a year. The series is as much a defence of the English and Anglo-Saxon culture as a series of personality portraits. "This series is about the history of England," said Dr Starkey. "Yes, England - the country that dare not speak its name. In England we have this dreadful inhibition about talking about ourselves. England is a historic country which has shaped the world we are in. It is arguably the very origins of modernity. That is something we should celebrate, not be ashamed of." Dr Starkey believes that the English need to celebrate their national identity in the same way that the Scots celebrate theirs. England, he argues, is much more important than Scotland, which is a "tiny" country that "does not much matter". "English identity and culture may be at the point of going down the pan. We are at a crossroads and which fork in the road we are going to take is not clear. If you go to Scotland you will notice there are two new buildings. There is the parliament building, which is loudly advertising that Scotland is an independent nation. The second is a museum of Scotland. We do not have an equivalent in England." Posted by: tipper 2004-10-17 |
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