Here I am at work, surrounded by bunting when I was unexpectedly vox popped by a french news website a few days before...
Sam Rowe, who works in a flag-and-bunting-draped pub in the heart of London's Soho on Wardour Street, admitted that he was “secretly really enjoying it”. Sam went on to say that he liked “the sense of continuity and history” that the royal family provides, but as a left-winger admits to this only reluctantly.
On the day my secrecy slip away. As I walked down Old Compton Street, which was packed out with burly men and tourists waving flags and wearing Kate and Wills masks, I suddenly felt a joy in being British. The television had shown any number of eccentrics, with wonky teeth and multitudinous regional accents, in home-made Union Jack outfits sigh it had been the greatest day of their lives. The Royals had been stiff and distant, and largely unwilling to bow to the pressure for grand theatre the crowd were baying for. The balcony appearance more reminiscent of the bus scene at the end of The Graduate, than the feet-sweeping romance of An Officer and Gentleman. Even the British left hurumphing about the whole thing was fondly familiar side show to the main event. I felt cosy in the warmth of the whole day.
British identity, it seems, is utterly encapsulated by the monarchy. I say monarchy, because the poor individuals of the House of Windsor who happen to hold the post are ultimately less important than the institution (Was Kate, in her virginal white, really getting married or a being ordained as human sacrifice to the idea of Britain and it's history?). I realised that even British republicanism isn't really a serious in it's intentions; it amounts to not watching the television or tutting over the news stand rather than storming the palace. And what would replace it?
The leftist supporters of the position probably imagine some urbane, eurocratic president with guilt rimmed glasses and a sharp suit guiding us to the cultivated heart of Europe. But unfortunately such a figure does not exist as this is Britain we are talking about, and the post would only attract the worst kind of celeb politico in the vein of Lembit Opik or Boris Johnson. Could the post have any power, could it act a figure head? What would be the point in it? But perhaps most importantly where would this leave British identity?
Speaking to a contact in London recently, he said for all the UK boarder agencies viciousness the British are seen by asylum seekers as a kinder nation than our neighbours in Europe. We are of course far from perfect, but the fact is the race and ethnicity of the white British is not seen as central to our identity as much as in a republic. Nick Griffen remains far outside the political mainstream in comparison the the Le Pens or Joerg Haider in France and Austria? Would 68% of the British want to expel any major ethnic group as 68% Italians have been reported as wanting to do the Roma? Why does the idea of Englishness, which is a race, still create a sense of discomfort for many in comparison to the collective notion of Britishness?
I would argue it is because of the strength of our historic national institutions. They remain the same, whilst society fluctuates and adapts around them. The Britain is a very different place now as to what it was when the Duke of York married the future Queen mother in 1923;
But the guards riding out of Buckingham Palace, the lifting of the train into the carriage and the appearance on the balcony are all exactly the same as they were two weeks ago. They allow us to have confidence that our history and culture will draw us together every so often for the occasional wedding or coronation, and anyone one is welcome to gather round and enjoy it in a way in which the celebration of pure nationalism remains exclusive.
Another interesting feature of the day was the wedding was so shunned north of boarder. A Scottish friend visiting me in London last week mentioned how shocked he was to hear people talk about the royal wedding positively. Britishness and Scotishness have a very different relationship to Britishness and Englishness. Britishness is very much an English creation, and the English happily subjugate their own identity for it. Where as Scottish identity is by it's very nature subversive of the British ideal. However if Scotland ever do leave the union where will this leave us? Could Britain survive, or even be called Britain if a third of the island of Britain was a separate, sovereign entity?
All this make me sound very conservative. But the royal wedding made me realise that the monarchy and Britishness are good for the left. They protect us from the worst of the right wing. People need nations, and need to feel they belong. Dismantling these institutions would leave us a bland internationalist no mans land, where the right would pray on diminishing confidence that we know who we are.
No comments:
Post a Comment