I wouldnt say we have been robbed of our englishness. As a country it is always going to be difficult for us to define what is Englishness but thats what makes it so brilliant, we can't. Its about trying to make things better for everyone, we are failing, but we are trying, our persistance makes us.

Hannah, Buckinghamshire,

Ah , Mr Clarkson,
I too was under the impression that we, the British, had the first concentration camps. Not so, pipped at the post yet again.
The naughty Russian Tsars beat us to it. I feel cheated.

S. Atkinson, Ellon, Aberdeenshire

I consider myself to be the kind of person you're addressing this question to.
Being English is a fantastic nationaloty to be. I feel so very lucky to be English on a daily basis. Don't you see that from all the history you've described, we all have it in our very nature to 'fight for humanity'.

Holly Young, Walsall, England

Annie B, tut tut...
I am of indian ethnic origin and my family came here in the 70's from Kenya...
I was born and bred here and I love this country and I am GUTTED that it is going the American PC way.
I remember kids could play British Bulldog and not worry about getting hurt and who would sue!

Chiraag G, Harrow,

I think we are all paying a hefty penalty when we have to endure such mindless brutality of written English .
Perhaps we are undergoing a similar change to that of Chaucer's time? Is it time to rewrite the rules? sorry i mean
is it Time to rerite the rool's

francesca darke, northallerton, uk

Maybe their are part's of English history we can't be proud about, but what have we got to be proud about diversity and multi culturalism, because all that has bought us is terrorist's and people who use their new found freedom against other's.

Rory, Redditch, England

I very much doubt that Ahmad.

Tom, Loughborough, Leics, UK

If Jeremy Clarkson became Prime Minister, the country would become bankrupt overnight. Every wonder why Politicians are so obsessed with being PC? Because most of the country's wealth is generated by the 'slaves'...er 'multi-cultured lot'.

England's 'glorious' past is mired in the disgraceful global 'Master-Slave' Economy that SHE created. Even the drug-farms of Afghanistan were planted by you lot to defeat Muslims.

England has little of pride in Her past. Perhaps Her penace is in a multi-cultural, multi-faith future.

Ahmad, Birmingham,

Wonderful how the PC crowd shows up and proves everything said againt them. *grin*

As an American? I desperately hope England will stand againt the MultiCulti tax-looters, because we are likewise besieged here and it's hard to fight alone.

My hope is the internet - where we can speak OUR truth without being 'filtered' into silence by the MSM tools of neo-socialism.

Maybe when we find out that we sensible people are the majority - we can fins political leaders who are sensible too.

Annie B, LA CA, USA

JEREMY CLARKSON FOR PRIME MINISTER!!
If I actually heard that for real....... I would START voting...... For Jeremy Clarkson. Sort out this country Jeremy. Sort out this sycophantic relationship our government has with the americans. Sort out the hoodies...... Separate the wheat from the chav* and make this country a great place again!
You are the only true Brit left with any Balls to speak his mind! Now take action and you WILL be supported!!

David, Telford, Shropshire

Quote: I want to end with a question. It’s addressed to all the equal opportunity, human rights, diet carbon, back room, bleeding heart liberals who advise the government: “I am English. Why is that a good thing?”

Clarkson - if the Welshmen, Irishmen, Canadians, Jamaicans and others who make up the England squad are 'English' in your view, you have no right to posture as a defender of the English.

The Croats know who they are - and if they are distinct in important ways from Serbs and Slovenes, and dare to say so, let them provide your answer:

It's NO good being 'English' when the English are everyone.

nmd7, Guiseley,

RE:"This is the only country in the world where the national flag is deemed offensive."

Welcome to the party, Pal!

Don Granberry, Houston, Texas, USA

It's riduculous. I am at school, and we don't get to learn about how we created an empire or how we made England the best country in the world - just how awful and racist we all are.

We're not.

We just love our country and want to be proud of it.

Sophie Power, Thatcham, West Berkshire.

I live in Spain because I have become a stranger in my own land. Six million other Brits have also left their homeland, I cannot comment on their reasons, but I know what I think. We the English - I stress, the English - are rapidly becoming the new pre-war Jews . . . . . resident in every country in the world, but with no home land of our own. The English are renowned for their tolerence and generosity of spirit, we have not suddenly become a nation of racists, but by simply voicing our genuine fears for our country and the future of our grandchildren and their children, the government has branded us all as such. If we ever needed a strong and courageous leader, then by God it is now. Just as I believe that the English football team MUST have an English manager to achieve ultimate success, so I believe that our country MUST have an English government, instead of this predominantly Scottish gang who neither care nor have the wit to govern our people in the way that we deserve.

Colin Bird, Villamartin, Spain

Clarkson is the only person I've heard people (except for a few sad political hacks) saying should be PM.

Barry, Hull,

Ah, but this is exactly how Germans feel since the war. Welcome to the club.
(apart from some odd weeks in 2006 the german flag is not to be shown in public either. unless you want to be recruited by Neonazis.)

Hendrik, Berlin, Germany

I have a beard, I've lived in Birmingham nearly all my life, (I'm not dead yet) and to top it all I don't and can't drive.
You stand and I'll vote without hesitation. The fact that you don't want to be in power makes you eminently suitable to hold the highest office.

Derek Cooper, Birmingham, West Mids

You got to see "This is England" movie =)

Dimitry, Moscow, Russia

To paraphrase Joe Biden, every sentence uttered by a British patriot consists of a noun, a verb, and Nazi Germany. Godwin has the last laugh.

Aaron Boyes, Nanaimo, Canada

I am an American who has great admiration for what was once the might British Empire. If it weren't for the British I would surely not be in the wonderful country I live in today which is based primarily on English values. Great Britain held off the Nazi war machine for years before us Yanks jumped into the European Theater. Am I the only person that thinks that the world was run far more peaceably when the European powers ran their empires. There aren't many former nations of the European empires that are successful by any means, save the Anglo run nations of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. However, the same drivel is said of the United States as is said about England and her former Empire. In many ways I feel a stranger in my homeland as well. Don't list to the marxists that run the media and the educational establishment. Be proud of your nation's past for it truly is unparalleled.

Frank Armstrong, Bensalem, United States/Pennsylvania

Clarkson Im a Bummie and I don't like you! but you are right. Stand for election and I for one would vote for your ugly boat.

carl, Birmingham, West mids

clarkson is so right,i for one am proud to be english,and no one will convince me othewise.to many lefties and dogooders are ruining this once great and proud country.

mr proudperson, manchester, england

Thanks Jeremy,you've the best show on the beeb,wouldn't be worth the licence without you.
I'm 70 and was once so proud of this country,it was run reasonably fairly if a bit eccentrically but it had it's straight talking men,especially from the north and it's brave ,beautiful women.
Now,unless you are a marxist or part of an ethnic minority?
or a woman you are treated like crap.

michael savell, eastbourne, uk

JC for PM!!!!!

jim, london,

It's the same all over the English speaking world. Being proud of who you are makes you the bad guy when you meet the requirements of being an Englishmen or a descendant.

I feel no guilt when I say I am proud to be an American, but I refer to the old America, when common sense and reason outweighed the form of liberalism we have ruling over us today.

Evan Walker, Odem, Texas, USA

It is a matter of history that when Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, General Dwight Eisenhower, found the victims of the death camps he ordered all possible photographs to be taken, and for the German people from surrounding villages to be ushered through the camps and even made to bury the dead.

He did this because he said in words to this effect: "Get it all on record now - get the films - get the witnesses - because somewhere down the track of history some bastard will get up and say that this never happened"

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. Edmund Burke

This week, the UK removed The Holocaust from its school curriculum because it "offended" the Muslim population which claims it never occurred.

This is a frightening portent of the fear that is gripping the world and how easily each country is giving into it.

It is now more than 60 years after the Second World War in Europe ended.

I make no further comment!

Richard Lovel, Rouen, France

The real problem is we have a bunch of globalists running the show. Globalists do not care about national soveriegnty which is why you're never going to get a referendum on the eu constitution. These globalists are also balkanizing the country. They're creating an enviroment in which their are so many different social groups with different self interest that wer'e fighting each other instead of concentrating on the real enemy. It's classic divide and conquer from those who would seek to control you. That's where your problems are stemming from.

simon lomax, warrington, uk

The answer is dead simple. All schoolchildren from right across the British Isles need to be gathered up on a yearly basis and paraded around the British Museum by a veteran. They need to realise that what made Britain great was its ability to stride across the globe and say, "I'll have that." Whilst overly-liberal types may not see this as a good lesson, what it does instill is the knowledge that our forefathers would not have ever stood for a CE on their pint glass. .

Cameron, Bermuda,

Richard, London. My! My! My! Judging by your first, vitriolic paragraph, what a bitter, hate-filled little thing you must be! Might I hazard a guess that you are, in fact, some form of Scottish Nationalist????
If that is so, why do you choose to live in the Capital of England? Are there no places outside this awful country that will take you? Or is it only there that you can maintain the standard of living you desire?

Bob Finbow, Haverhill, England

"Because they don’t really know what England is. And..neither do I." Clearly, as JC and the rest of England, arrogantly believe England and Britain are the same thing. Eg. JC follows the above statement by discussing British passports and the British Empire. Effectively he means English passports and the English Empire. But is hurt that the other countries of the English Isles aren't happy with this. I pity Clarkson and the English when they bemoan the end of empire within & without the Isles, because now the party's over and they're stuck in their rainy little country, bored, with nothing better to do than whinge about not being great any more, and watch the most tedious of all the games it ever invented but is no longer good at- footandmouthball. Get over yourselves.

"yes the British (all of them) traded in slaves. But who sold those slaves in the first place? Their fellow countrymen". That certainly mitigates any British guilt Martin.

Richard, London,

Jeremy we are a bunch of ex Paras and we want to buy you beer. This is a genuine invite to our annual gathering in Wales.

If you are interested go to www.exairborneforces.co.uk/forum and e-mail the chairman or any of the moderators by clicking our names.

Don473

Don Stewart, Paisley,

It's genuinely important to have orators like Mr Clarkson speaking his mind - it helps elivate the frustration of the rest of us! Thank God there's someone out there with access to the media can talk sense, instead of the mealy-mouthed language of apology we've had forced on us by spineless politicians, overly-liberal types and the media.

England need not cater to these apologists, we're a country built by great people led by sheep. Lets regain some pride and passion about this country.

Good man, Clarkson!

Ross Liversidge, Ripon, N. Yorks

Well said indeed.
We have the same self-hatred here in France. But i'm optimistic that it won't last. This silly Hate-The-White-Man movement will eventually collapse simply because it makes no sense.

Samuel Young, Paris, France

Clarkson is brilliant, as usual: he should be your prime minister!!!
And yes, I'm French, but I couldn't agree more with the spirit of this article : well done, Jeremy!!!!

David, Lyon, France

The first few comments scare me - intimating that Clarkson is some kind of BNP figurehead because of what he says. Read it - at no point does he talk of immigration etc. Fools.

Joe, Ilford, UK

Most of the people that cared for this saddened little place have taken the easy route and gone elsewhere, so now were left with the lazy, the whining, the pathetic, the 'victims' of society, the religious bigots from far away places and the immense negative influence of our 'multiculturalism' (Nothing like a swan-curry to breed beyond our means over?). England is being raped by the rest of the world, Tempory Immigrants leeching money home, the lazy Welfare-state slime supping on the taxpayers money (giving even more people less reason to work). £40,000,000 a year foreign aid when our NHS system may aswell be throwing people out the windows.

And yet it's all grins and giggles for labour as they pop themselves another pay-rise in the post!

I'm not ashamed of being English nor Brittish and i shall certainly be proving such when we go to the polls!

Herowyn, Wolverhampton,

Bravo. I couldnt agree more. Now if only the people in power will look to the future to see what will be the result of all this. Take away a persons national indentity and culture forcibly in the name of appeasment and so called equality then ...................... I leave it to the imagination.

Gordon, Wrexham,

Jeremy for PM? It just goes to show how pathetic a race we have become. Anytime someone says something against Immigration, he automatically gets nominated to run for PM. Has all the money spent on education gone to such waste or are we just not intelligent enough? No wonder we need all these foreigners to help us maintain pace with the rest of the modern world.

Milton, London,

Right on the mark for people who care about respect for our national character, so sad to see that it was not just us that felt such sentiments, so sad to see that as a nation we weep with sadness and not pride any more and we are the ones that seem to do us down ! We gave up trying to rationalise why our country looked after numbers 2, 3 , 4, 5 etc and never number one. we gave up wondering why we paid exorbitant taxes and when you needed help most you were expected to speak urdu to be understood, and why its so damn wrong to want to be proud, english, and celebrate us.
so we left
and now we live in France
whatever you may think of them they can never be accused of not being French !

nicki phillips, le mans, france

To be honest you are not my favorite celebrity but you have hit the nail on the head. It is no small wonder English are leving in their droves every year say what you want about Americans, they are the epitomy of patriotic.

We are afloat without an oar in a sea of apathy and we need get back on course as a proud and honorable nation.

For the record I smark all aplications as english and I always state my country of residence as england.

Jamie

Jamie , Crewe, England

"I believe people need to feel like they’re part of a gang, part of a tribe."

You're confusing 'need' with 'want'. I daresay, yes, people do want to be in the hardest gang around and feel protected, respected and royal wherever they go. Awful shame that these days you can't do that just by merit of being born in a particular country. Have you tried joining a knife gang?

In any case, who wants to be in the same tribe as people like Clarkson? What a crap tribe. I really don't need to be associated with people who are stupid enough to believe everything they don't like and disagree with emanates from the same nefarious source, and who can't admit that the failure of their national sport is down to the fact that their players are cosseted buffoons.

There are elements of the British character to be proud of and there are elements of it to be ashamed of. The idea that that kind of nuance is beyond Clarkson suggests that in 'his day' there wasn't so much education as mass brainwashing.

Jon Stone, London,

Quote: "your Nick Griffinesque tone makes it pretty obvious this is just plain and simple racism. And even if you didn't necessarily mean it to sound so vitriolic (which by the way i don't believe for a second) just reading some of the comments from the 'patriots' who've left you heart felt messages of support highlights the caliber of imbecile you appeal to with this fatuous nonsense. "

Jeremy is talking about the so called English like Jimmy Clarke from Leeds quoted abovewho thinks all those who do not think like him are Imbiciles & Griffinesque, well tell that to Hassan Azam from Banbury you fool.

M Wattam, Sheffield, S Yorks

I agree with you Jeremy. Now you know how it feels. I'm an American living in the U.S.

lori, Atlanta, GA/USA

Jeremy,

Absolutely brilliant, If more famous people took a more vocal approach then perhaps this once great Nation will resurface.

Mick Plater, Exmouth, ENGLAND

mick plater, Exmouth, ENGLAND((

Typical of people to respond with comments of racism. Whilst Clarkson may word things harshly, I think one can detect the sarcasm just fine. The underlying message is just, however. Like 2007's England - Ireland rugby match at Croke Park, where such a furor took place over its significance from something the *British* army did. Wikipedia tells us that trouble was expected from the national anthem - perhaps a less British "Land of hope and glory" (as per the Commonwealth Games) would be better?

See, I too was told by Scottish friends at school how bad it was to be English, whilst they Tipp-Ex'd the Scottish flag on their pencil case. Thusly this topic irritated me too! Despite all the Scottish I've met recently whilst mingling at different universities not providing the same response, I do feel we need to realise what is British and what is English and in the spirit of our Celtic neighbours, be English first, British second.

IMHO The flag of St George should have a dead dragon on it!

Chris, Chippenham, England

Yeah Jeremy, you've got the Britain thing wrong. Scots are not upset when called British. We ARE British, for goodness sake, the only thing that annoys us is being called English. And that might be England's problem. They have no separate identity. They use the BRITISH flag, the BRITISH national anthem and call them English and refer to the British Isles as England. I honestly don't know why we don't have a British football team though and join together on that front too. Nations with 8 million people or less really don't have a chance against nations with 90 million or more. That might make us all feel a bit more united too.

Kate, Bremen, Germany

My God Clarkson, you've really lost the plot. The fact is i actually agree with some of the stuff you say but i draw the line at your loosely veiled condoning of the the slave trade and your abhorrence towards a statue of a pregnant disabled woman because she's, err, pregnant and disabled. The problem is if this was simply a reaction to a perceived smite on your Englishness i'd stand up and support you, but your Nick Griffinesque tone makes it pretty obvious this is just plain and simple racism. And even if you didn't necessarily mean it to sound so vitriolic (which by the way i don't believe for a second) just reading some of the comments from the 'patriots' who've left you heart felt messages of support highlights the caliber of imbecile you appeal to with this fatuous nonsense.

Jimmy Clarke, Leeds, U.K

I read a headline the other day, something along the lines of "Who will lead our lions now?"

I think we need to face up to the fact that our team is made up of anything but Lions, and the best thing for the team is a circus master, as he will be the only person who can control that squad of performing seals. I think the great scholar Cheryl Cole summed it up perfectly. "At least we can go on holiday next summer, and Ashley can concentrate on Chelsea."

The players of today simply don't care about England - and that's attributable to the salaries. The anual salary paid by the FA is around £145,000, one of the England players can make that ina fortnight, if not a week, and all of that without actualy having to play football. They're rewarded for their performances in the box, and as to how "gracefully" they are felled in the box.

As usual, Sir Jeremy has summed up the current situation beautifully, and we really should be proud of being English. And I say that as a British Asian.

Hassan Azam, Banbury, England

When are you going to stand for PM JC?
Your sentiments are felt across the country, and the globe for ex-pats, but only a select few are able to put it down for all to read.
Well done,
Top Man
Top Gear!!!!!

Ricky, new milford, USA

Splendid! You've a good sense of what it is to be British and what many of us are feeling about our currently oppressed sense of identify - please keep up the propaganda!

PS. whilst I doubt whether you (or I for that matter) have the first idea of the technical aspects of coaching a national football team - have you perhaps considered putting your name forward for the softer, more motivational and team building aspects of the role?

Nick, Weybridge, Surrey

Never a truer work spoken.
From Helen an English girl from England, Great Britain.

Helen, London,

The England football team were singing the " British National Anthem " not he " English National Anthem ", as far as I know none exsists.
Ml Suffolk

martin leslie, Haverhill, Suffolk

Did I miss something? Was it about a lost game of football?

Marianne, Gera, Germany

Absolutely fantastic. You speak for the majority of the English people.

Craig, Portsmouth, UK

Absolutely brilliant Clarkson! As a Canadian, I sympathize with you in many ways. The way Canada is going these days seems almost a mirror of the over the top political correctness that has plagued poor England.
I fear that soon too some idiot Canadian liberal minded baffoons will call waving the Canadian flag as offensive, because it bothers the "minorities".
I also fear the England today is a communist nation is disguise in many ways, just like Canada is becoming.
It is so good to have someone like you, a true Englishman, to speak up for what is true, right and good!

Anthony Murdoch, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Spot on, JC! Now all we have to do is to vote in a party that is prepared to do something about it I honestly don't see Cameron in that mould, far too much in thrall to the PC/EU brigade. BNP anyone?

Archie, Thrapston, England

Do all these people ranting about slavery and empire realize that about 95 percent of the modern advances in technology, science and medicine over the past 200 years or so were discovered/invented by peoples from the British Isles, or by people like Thomas Edison who were descended from Brits? Many of the "people of color" living today wouldn't even be here without vaccines, surgical equipment and medicines that British and British-descended people invented and then saw to it were distributed to the whole world. Since we are expected to hang our heads permanently for a crime our ancestors may have committed 300 years ago, I say our people should also get royalty payments in perpetuem from all the people who are alive today because of antibiotics, smallpox vaccines, modern surgery, telephones, computers, electricity and sanitary flush toilets! Fair is fair. PS - this descendent of one of Gen. Washington's soldiers would be proud to stand for a verse or two of God Save The Queen.

MaryJ, San Francisco, USA

Fantastic!
Don't lose heart dear little counrty. I am leading an invasion of Argentina! I have been here for almost a year now and I am proud to tell my customers that I am English (or Ingles for the hard of understanding) I have a bbc accent when I talk and I have a stiff upper lip too. You should see the look of relief on the faces of the poor souls that have got this far but can't speak the lingo.
I specifically enjoy having to tell the yanks that I'm not from OZ but from a small country off the coast of France called England. You might have heard of us?

Nick Tarbin, El Bolson, Rio Negro, Argentina

"it was actually the British who invented concentration camps . ." says seamus who doesn't know his history.

The British in the Boer War copied it from the Germans who started it in their African colonies BEFORE the Boer War. Get it right before you make such comments.

Go back as far as you like in history and you will find examples of concentration camps or other holding compounds for opponents.

karl, Sheffield, England

You are not the only country where the national flag is deemed offensive. Not too long ago the Bondi council (which consists mostly of Greens and other left wing Canyonero Communists) decided that flying the Aussie flag could be seen as offensive by the Islamic threads in our rich multi-cultural tapestry.

In fact one of these moon-bats claimed that the flag was merely a "gang colour". All of this in the same week that (self-identifed) Lebanese Muslims had urinated on the flag and then tried to burn it (after urinating on it ?). It is noteworthy that these idiots were mostly born here but regard it as an insult to be called an Australian.

You English should be very proud of who you are, the positive parts of your history far outweigh the negatives, and I speak as an Aussie of Irish descent.

Anyway if it gets too much just come on out here, the weathers great, the beers cold and in the last election not one politician was game enough to mention "muilticulturalism".

Ned Kelly, Sydney , Oz.

Clarkson for Prime Minister, he could do no worse than the present incumbant

Mike88, Nuneaton,

Please will you send me copies of Times map of ancient Egypt and the colour supplements of Last week's Sunday Times. Newsagent did not deliver them!
Please post to :-
D C Moore
3 Chapel Hill
Gastard
Corsham
Wilts
SN13 9QR

David Moore, Corsham, Wilts UK

C'mon Jezza take the seat at the helm of this country and lead us to victory, you'd have a constituency the likes of which haven't been seen in politics for a very long time. Voting is at an all time low, give the people something to care about!

Jon, Colchester, England

Jeremy - you say it all for me, and I believe, for most people in England
But for God's sake don't go into politics, you will end up being as mealy-mouthed as the rest of them. Politics is as destructive as a flesh-eating disease, and it would be such a waste of talent.

Tony Collins, Redruth, Cornwall

Seamus -
And it was the Irish who invented the car bomb , and Knee capping and it was the Boer War , Chris Luanda

Chris , Luanda, Angola

it was actually the British who invented concentration camps . . .” maybe they did't but they had a bloody good first run at it in ireland and than south africa(boar war)

seamus, dublin, ireland

I'd be happy to join his political party. However he has only until the summer of next year to get us out of the EU, once Brown and Queenie have signed the final 'treaty', we've all had it. Mark my words.

Gordon, Chester, Europe soon, very soon

Jeremy,

Thank the lord (can I say that?) that there are people in this land who think the same as me.

Great article.

Run for PM, you've got my vote!

Zandra, Leeds

Zandra, Leeds, West Yorkshire

You know what gets on my nerves?

How we just used to go ahead and do stuff; like building things quickly, constant progress.

Now how long does it take us to build a football stadium/a new piece of military kit? bloody ages; and the expense...

The problem? people getting in the way of the pioneering engineers, doing health and safety estimates and such fabricated nonsense! Get on with it, people get hurt all the time so what? the price of progress.

Frank, Bury, England

I'd like to emphasise Ian from Preston's comments - please, please form a political party and even I, a true kilt wearing Scot, will vote for you!

Martin, Ayrshire, UK

awwww....what a shame eh? Jeremy and all the Brits whinging as usual... Many foreigners from the equatorial regions of the world living here would like to go back (because of the wet weather here), they just want to milk the nation as much as they can, before they do... and rightfully so...because for 450 years...the almighty naval Brits plundered Africa of everything...so the very britishness/englishness you talk about only came to be because of the cheap labour obtained through slavery and colonialism... but as you know what goes around comes around...and just like when we Africans ruled the world 5000 years ago in Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia...we got what was coming during slavery and colonialism...and now the tides are simply turning...so prepare yourselves Brits..its not going to get better for at least 500 years... Top gear is off the hook by the way.. (stick to that - whinging never suits men)

Johny Foreigner, East London,

Tuesdays article by Matthew Syed "no one wants the England job" may have been a little too previous. the issue of corruption and the rumours about certain individuals has been around for a number of years and may prove to be unfounded. However if Matthew spent more time on the terraces North of Watford he would know that these stories are regularly discussed. A number of high profile individulas who at best can be described as damaged goods and at worst criminals may shortly be exposed. Non of them should be considered for the England job.

R Toms, Birmingham, West Midlands

Corrections for Jeremy:
Americans never put to sea in coracles. That was the Irish. Native North Americans invented the canoe and the kayak. The canoe design was enthusiastically embraced by coureurs du bois and English colonists, and both types of boats are still in wide use today for recreation in North America.

The French launched the first ironclad steamship, La Gloire, in 1850. The USS Monitor ushered in a new age in naval warfare during the American Civil War (1861-8165). You merely outbuilt everybody else during the same period of time.

England really was an amazing country from 1600 to 1945. You have every right to be proud of being English. Turning 1/4 of the world pink was the biggest con job in history, considering how small England really is-- yet you managed to convince peoples with countries having untold millions of square acres that England was approximately the size of the planet Jupiter.

M. Hoeber, Miami, Florida USA

I am so relieved to read all these comments. I have really started to worry myself these past few months that i may have become a racist! but i havent, im just british, but because any kind of patriotism is branded xenophobic, im made to feel guilty about it in my own home!
Please Jeremy - VERY SERIOUSLY - start a political party.
I think there are a hell of a lot of people in this country that feel exactly the same but are so scared of being persecuted for raisining these points that the anger lays dormant within us.
We will get you into power (look at the hits on the JC for PM group on facebook)
Id like to link this to the lunatics trying to stop the BNP having a say at a union this week. these people are speaking out about what their voters vote for. if you dont like it - argue it, dont try and shut them up - thats fascism. even if you think its wrong.

Please dont join UKIP, make your own party!!!

ellk, brizzle,

"God save the Queen".... how often do we hear that either? Its damning on this government that it has appeased all those who have sought (and begun to achieve) the grinding down of the british consciousness, sense of identity and sense of self.

Watching the losing England Rugby Team in the World Cup Final this year and seeing those jaws jutting as they all bellowed the National Anthem was symbolic not just for the pride that each and every man in an England Jersey displayed up to that point, but also for the manner in which it exemplified what a spectacle it has become to see an Englishman sing his anthem with honour.

I and some of my men will be going to Afghanistan next year When one of my Toms told a few of us of his plans for a holiday in cancun after his tour of duty, he was asked whether he'd checked if the hotel had wheelchair access!
"You can either laugh or cry"....... it seems many have adopted the latter these days. What a disappointment we've become.

Frazer Smith, Edinburgh, Britain

Jeremy,

things like this seem to happen in all of Europe. Or at least in
those country's who had a sence of exploring in the past.

We, here in Holland, must now apologize about the VOC on every occasion.
Recently a new movie hit the cinema's. It is about 2 boy's who want to sail with the VOC. Its an adventure
movie with a nice story plot. If it was a movie about just some ship, thinks would be fine, but since the writer
dared to use a real VOC ship name things are a bit different. They even showed this on the news. Some guy from
the museum showed up on tv, showing the original logbook of the ship (named Bontekoe) explaining how it terrorised the
seas and enslaved everybody it came across, and how whe Dutch should be ashamed about the VOC and all it heritage.

The only simularity about the real VOC and this movie, is the name, just to make it a bit more realistic.

Dennis Mooren, Echt, Netherlands

these no nonsense straight talking views are the very reason clarkson should be prime minister.

if you have facebook and agree, there is a group. join it. currently 228,000 people agree

paul, sutton, surrey

Right on JC,

Soon be a job at Westminster, interested?

Ben Waterhouse, Newport, IoW, England

Can somebody explain to me why? If all the people I meet and all the times over the last few years I have heard a similar opinion to the article, why is it that our 'democratic' system produces politicians (both local and national) who represent the article view. Perhaps the answer is that 'we' are individuals and regrettably do absolutely nothing to force our politicians to change the laws. In reality a politician will only do anything if his parliamentary seat (or local council place) is threatened more than by his party whip. "We" winge and whine every day about the state of our apathetic and cowardly society and rant at our friends but then do absolutely nothing effective about it. Surely with the internet we could marshal opinion on a topic in some concentrated fashion to threaten an individual politician with loss of his seat. It will have to cross party lines to be effective but if 'we' really are in the majority then stop whining and do something within the system about it.

Embattled in Britain, High Wycome,

What would Mr Clarkson suggest as a plan of action to make a difference? I understand that journalists do not write policy but the media is the most powerful weapon in any war and its time to use it to change for the better.

Thomas Arkle, Plymouth, Devon

Join the United Kingdom independence party please.!!
Please Jeremy.!

R.Taoka-Thompson, Egham,

Dear Mr Clarkson,

Things could be worse.

Kind regards grom Belgium...

Frank De Laet, Oostduinkerke, Belgium

Rant much?

Neel, London,

Good Article Jeremy.
For gods sake, form a political party and go for Prime Minister. Your views must represent the silent English Majority.

Ian, Preston,

Diet carbon?

Huh?

As balanced an argument as ever. And a whole new cliche to play with as a bonus.

markgamon, Royston, Herts

Surely if Britain's history tells us anything it's that Britain achieved things when it worked alongside people of all ethnicities and nationalities. Waterloo was won with the help of the Germans, India was 'conquered' and governed through working with local Hindu and Muslim elites, WW1 was won with Indian, ANZAC and Canadian troops, Africa saved from the Germans by Kenyans, Nigerians and South Africans; the Ottoman Empire with an alliance between Arabs and British colonials; the Battle of Britain with the daredevil recklessness of Polish pilots among others; D-Day with Americans, Canadians and Poles, and the polyglot army that defeated the Japanese consisted of Kenyans, Nigerians, Burmese, Gurkhas, Indians as well as Brits. I think you'll also find that Captain Cook and Lord Nelson didn't check their motley crews' passports before they signed up for the King's shilling either.

Ed50, Gloucs, UK

A great article JC and so, so true. Sadly the leftists and all the other pathetic do-gooders are rising in numbers by the day. If the current situation could be reversed, there'd be many prepared to stand up and fight for it. Unfortunately such a fight would never be permitted. I really fear for my children and future generations. Rule Britannia!

Mick , Sunderland, UK

As entertaining as Clarkson is, his brand of EmpireRose-coloured view of Britain's glorious past is partly to blame for holding the country back now. I don't see anyone forgiving the Germans for invading Poland, so I don't where that sentiment comes from. And it is entirely because he rants about Britain saving "the World" from this and that that History MUST be re-balanced. No longer the dominant force in World affairs, the truth about Britain's past is coming out and having to be acknowledged. Britain never conducted a holocaust, but her history is nowhere near as honourable and based on "fair play" as she still likes to kid herself it is.

However, Clarkson does have a point in that we don't know what it is to be British anymore. And how can we? "God Save the Queen" is a hopeless anthem. Our attitude to foreigners is pathetic - we boo other nations' anthems, regard them all as inferior to us and don't appreciate our (priveleged) place in the World today. Humility required.

Puneet Bharal, London, UK

Reading Jeremy Clarkson is a bit like listening to a Donald Rumsfeld speech - on one level it's occasionally quite funny, on another level it raises some really important issues, and at the end of it all you're left slightly worried that he actually believes what he's said.

Adam, Oxford, UK

Surely there are more folk than Jeremy and I who are sick to death of the loony left view of the world. Please speak up!!

Ron Scaife, Welwyn,

Read the "Lion and the Unicorn" by George ORWELL for an intelligent discussion of this old problem. It was written during the Blitz. Socialists have had 60 years to destroy the world's greatest bastion of Freedom. And the Chavball team.

Frank , Swansea, UK

I love J.C. Never doubts his own worthiness. Let's be proud to be British.
Slave Trade - we ABOLISHED IT.

Richard, Norwich,

never have i heard such sense spoken,i agree with you whole heartedly,keep it J.K

darren, maidstone,kent,ENGLAND,

Jeremy, even as a Scot (albeit with an English wife) I agree wholeheartedly. If only the english would revive their fast-disappearing regional cultures, the whole country would be better off.
I am surprised you missed one point - what can anyone make of a country where the nearest thing to national dress is some sort of variation on a beefeater outfit - i.e. a jailer in a royal prison?

KR, Stockport,

Get a bicycle, Jeremy

Paul, Edinburgh, Scotland

Jeremy Clarkson, You are bang on with your commentary. Out of the EU should be a priority, send back immigrants that need any sort of state funding, and we need to stop paying taxes until we can be English again. But do like the immigrants don't pay taxes STOP it now.Work as little as possible and become self sufficient.When the coffers are empty the treasonous poly's will be ousted.

Here's a question why did we dissolve being close to our dominion cousins,Australia, NZ and Canada with visa free travel and ability to work and have mutual benefit, only to be forced without our consent into an EU super state that only wants to grab our wealth, and destroy us as a people? This must stop and we must get back back our people. Sad thing is Aus NZ and Can are suffering the same fate. How come we get all the trash from Eastern Europe instead of Scandinavians I would not complain of having a restock of our blood brothers.

I'm sick of us being foreign peoples that are not who we are.England

Roger, Shrewsbury, England

The reason you've lost your Britishness is because you are the byproduct of post-colonial integration. Just look at a typical demographic cross-section of your populace. London for example has an intermixed population of over 40% Indian, West Indies, Chinese and African ethnicities. Most of these individuals and their families are MUCH better off residing in the UK rather than their locale of origin however; thanks to colonialization, they are going to have grudges. Collectively, that's over 40% of your populace holding a grudge against the white anglo-saxon protestant colonial culture which once held them in chains. You should be proud and embrace the level of integration, dare I say homogeneity the UK has achieved within it's confines. The British empire will never be what it once was, but that's not so bad. I wish we could see the same level of equality, respect and tolerance you Brits have achieved - in the United States as a whole.
BRGRDS (BTW I love Top Gear)

Ivan T, Littleton, Colorado, USA

Totally spot on. This country is going to the dogs. I'm planning on moving soon to another country. I can no longer hold my head up and say I'm English and be proud. In a country where you are told not to fly your national flag!!! It might offend other cultures. Good, if they don't like it then go home. I didn't ask you to come here. I wouldn't come to your country and tell you what to do so don't do it in mine. We live in a society where a man who kicks a ball of leather round a field a couple of times a week, gets paid £100,000 a week or so. On the other hand, the doctors, nurses and all the other useful people in life are left working 100's of hours for little pay. You see I think we have got our priorities completely mixed up. Throw out the trash, shut the door, and lets get this country back on it's feet and being a place you are proud to live in again. Stop being so politically correct about everything. Oh and football...... It's only a game.

P.S. Top Gear as good as ever

JB, Newcastle, UK

I mean this in the nicest way possible, but I think you've been reading too many newspapers and watching too much SKY News.

Our modern news is filled with stories that don't have anything whatsoever to do with the truth or the condition of our society.

Things that we speak in private and among our family and friends never wind up in the newspapers because they are too afraid of offending the multitude of religions and cultures that have made their home in this country.

There is an England beneath the 'England' that is being portrayed to us everyday on the TV and News, and we need to get out of the 'plugged in - tuned in'
world and get back to England from a grass roots level.

We British need to turn off that stupid TV, throw away that plastic newspaper, get out of the virtual world and take a trip to the coast, mountains, or countryside. Stop for a pub meal and chat with 'real' people in 'real' life.

The British way of life is still alive and well, we just need to look for it.

Mark, Maidstone, UK

i agree with douglass, there are no football hooligans in scotland.

andy nath, aberdeen, scotland

Certainly an element of being robbed of nationality, both English and Britishness. Thatcher robbed the working class of their pride and community. Children being robbed of direct and wider family. Need I complete my point?

i.e., Norwich, The ancient kingdom of East Anglia

Let's get the revolution started now before it's too late!!!!!!

JRT, worksop,

i am a scot who is both proud to be british and scots but as was always the case some english tend to use english or british when it suits. 'england stood alone against hitler' (when british was technically correct) then 'british soccer hooligans (when english would have been technically correct)

een here you use the term 'english' for all the glorious things the sneak in 'british' for shameful things eg concentration camps.

douglas mcdonnell, perth, scotland uk

We do need a coup ...Powell was right!!! Ethnic groups should be a minority and the government should be protecting our countries identity not changing because it fits better with European or American or Russian ethics regarding assimilating ethnic groups. Why do we have quotas for foreigners to settle here… bugger off back home I say!! We are British because we conquered a pretty big piece of the world with our brains and brawn! Why can we not defend it? After all something everyone has forgot is that this great democracy of ours was forged from blood, sweat and we should fight to maintain it… not let it rot or be eaten away by the liberals.. Ban psychology degrees for a bloody start!!!!

Simon, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, Made in England

R Hewson - have you ever read Clarkson before? This is his "thing" - relax, purrrlease.

B, London,

AYE!
Jeremy I think you've finally, in your long career said three sensible things. One was promoting a Frenchman to be the greatest Britain of all time, then that Ferrari build the best sports cars and this article being the other, well done old boy.
I fear that if in Italy foreigners moved in and changed the cultural landscape to the extent it has been done in this country, there would of been a civil war or at best mass murder. Therefore the British public if anything should at least be praised for there extreme tolerance, well done!
However what you said has weight, substance and I'm sure Gordon Ramsay is very proud of you. Regards

Cavallino, LONDON, UK

Clarkson as usual is the voice of common sense in a country rules by PC, baggy bloused people in cumfortable shoes.

The Health & Safety fascists that now control our total lack of freedom.

Mr Clarkson , please form a political party, the majority of the UK would probably vote for you, I know I would!

Ken Wells

Ken Wells, Bracknell, Berkshire

The answer to your problem Jeremy is to organise a military coup and become President for Life. First task is to declare unilateral independance from from Europe, then declare political correctness illegal followed by disbanding of Parliament. Then do what you want.

Ben Genevieve, Perth, Western Australia

I believe that all you need to do to restore your confidence in being English is to take a ride on any Triumph motorcycle. What a great company and what survivors Makes me proud along with a lot of other things. Maybe we should all stop whingeing and have a column that highlights the truly English things that are succeeding and then we can all rave about them and feel good about ourselves. History has always been for fools anyway.Lets not forget were only here for a little while so lets make a good fist of it coz it wont matter when were dead!!
Ps I love your work ... keep it up

John Potiphar, Perth, Australia

apparently england has a white dragon as a flag as opposed to the welsh who have a red dragon.. The red dragon defended england against the Anglo saxons from Germany ( white dragon) some time ago..apparently the red dragon is from Iran and was adopted by the romans as a standard. So we have an Iranian symbol defending England against a German symbol and loosing... Its all a bit confusing since my mother claimed to be 1939 English and my grandmother claimed to be 1910 English and apparently my great great grandfather thought general Gordon was a great guy. We emigrated as 2pound 10 shilling tourists in 1954 . I have dual citizenships . I have been to england quite a few times and i don't seem to be able to find it.Though i did find a lot of motor cars and some very nice people in oxford

rwn, muston, australia

Well said Jeremy. I fear that the wretched PC'ness that has overtaken your country may overspill the cliffs of Dover and find its way around the 7 seas and into Sydney Harbour before too long after the events of last weekend when we elected a government that is ruled by the theocratic high priests of PC'ness, the all powerful and completely unrepresentative, Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU).
Anyway, the UK is a country that still has many great attributes and I think the multi-cultural aspect of the UK is actually a good thing. That however doesn't mean that you shouldn't be proud to be British, or English, and that you can't or shouldn't reflect on your history with a balanced perspective. All people living in your country that choose to be citizens should also embrace your nation and its values. Otherwise, why become a citizen? Why not just stay where you were in the first place?

Aussie Lad., Brisbane, Qld, Australia

I was in London when your stiff upper lip and dignity died along with Diana - you're right in mentioning that as a turning point Jeremy.

David, Melbourne, Australia

Goodness me, will you have to pay Littlejohn royalties for that column?

I thought you went in for more respectable forms of transport than bandwagons....

Dave Gordon, Edinburgh, UK

Jeremy for Prime Minister ..........

Barbara Ewing, Wimbledon, London

A lazy and obvious piece of journalism and you've all been sucked in. Is it this easy for Clarkson to pick up his pay cheque?
Fools.

SInbad, London,

England, for me, is the best country in the world. You Brits should be proud. Your the greatest nation this planet has ever seen.

Marli, Hartenbos, South-Africa

Absolutely on tthe button Jewemy old chap!! Im in New Zealand now and when people ask me if I miss England I say 'Ive missed it for at least ten years"!!
P.S. Its sunny and 24c tomorrow!!
Merry Christmas!!

Bruce, Auckland , New Zealand

Agree with every word! from Last Of THE RAJ, & proud!!!!

Langton, York, ENGLAND

Those of us who live in the quarter of the world that was previously pink are glad that Jeremy has finally solved that pythonesque mystery..."what did the English ever do for us?" The imperial largesse that he mentions may have been bestowed upon us at gunpoint and enforced by draconian laws (Cromwell's massacres and Victoria's famine come to mind for Ireland), but hey whatever. We can now smile wryly that even as Jeremy waves his St George flag and sings that the English never ever shall be slaves his historic legal rights are being eroded as never before. He is constantly monitored by CCTVs, RFIDs, microphones, databases et al and is taxed for every conceivable activity. Admittedly he has freedom of worship, even if it is only the cult of celebrity. Oh to be in England.

Alan H, Belfast,

This has an amazing parallel with the "pussification" of America. Great article!

Dave, Mobile, USA

Arsenal to do the treble - even Fergie's Midas touch has deserted him!! Come on you Gunners

Jon Bunyan, Fareham,

It is a harsh reality for the English, for example my relatives from New York have a somewhat warped belief that all we do is drink tea and fox hunt.

Then again why must we feel the need to sway perceptions?

Bianca, London,

This is the most beautiful article I have read in a very long time. I salute the writer for trying to say the truth in a society where hypocrisy is becoming a way of life. I am neither English nor British, but I fear that a strange plague of idiocy has befallen a great people! I am most concerned about the idiocy of most White opinion leaders because the failure of the west means disaster for the downtrodden and oppressed of this world. As an enlightened Black man, I cannot shy away from the fact that Europe did commit some atrocities, but I am most conscious of the fact that but for the Whites, Black people and Black Africa would have remained slaves to date. Clearly, the whiteman has not been a perfect master to my people (as can be seen from the unhidden bias among most white people in the case of Zimbabwe), but we owe our existence today, much to the goodness of the White man. Britain and others stopped slave trade because they have conscience. White people ought to be proud

John Iteshi, London, UK

My great great great grandparents were too busy working 72 hours a week with no holidays in sewer ridden industrial cities, trying to feed their famillies and avoid cholera, dissentry, rickets and small pox to have enough spare time to join in all the slave trade fun and frolicks.

The slave trade was wicked. The reaction to the Indian mutiny was wicked. The treatment of the Irish was wicked but a slave had value and, shamefuly, was a chatel. My folks had no value and could be replaced by the next in the queue when they died in midwinter.

Who do I sue?

Tom Sykes, Huddersfield, England

Great words Jeremy - and no doubt exactly what everyone is thinking but dare not say for fear of being so terribly un P.C.

In an attempt to answer your question “I am English. Why is that a good thing?” It seems the only good thing to feel English about these days is the Rugby. If you want to see pride in the English shirt just look at how those boys sing the anthem and play for the Rose. Not just the Union Lads either - The League and Union game is over flowing with passion and a desire to win.

Failing that the only other thing that is English and worth caring about is a certain programe called Top Gear. Sorry to brown nose Jeremy but I love every aspect of it and it is the only programme I make an effort to sit down and watch.

Phil

Phil, Castleford, West Yorks

In Sept. 2003 we bought a second hand Freelander with 3,312 miles on the clock, today 56,000 miles. Since purchase we have experienced a number of problems despite regular servicing, modest mileage on public roads and careful driving. This year we have replaced the manifold, the catalytic converter and the automatic transmission at considerable expense. The other faults remain unresolved as we do not feel inclined to spend more money on a product in which we lack confidence. As a result of the coupling being disconnected, we have lost the feature of four wheel drive (the very feature we bought this car for!). We have asked LR ‘is this an extraordinary catalogue of failures, or is this what a customer should expect when purchasing a Land Rover vehicle?’ A letter from the executive office stated, ‘We manufacture prestige vehicles and all the products and services we provide should be commensurate with this.’ Financial gestures of goodwill have not been forthcoming. Best of British?

Judith Bristow, Ashford, Kent

Here, hear Jeremy,
My Firefox Browser has just decided an update and I am being given the choice of my on-line dictionary.

English (Australian) English (Australian) Install (193 KB)
English (Canadian) English (Canadian) Install (242 KB)
English (British) English (British) Install (245 KB)
English English Install (242 KB)

Interesting to see that our native language is now described as English (British) as opposed to simply English which I assume has now been taken over by The USA !!

Philip Bell, Anglesey, Wales

Andrea
Your right, the US did save our "royal buttocks" but it was only by turning up late. Think how many British troops the US would have "disposed" of if they had got there on time.

D.T., Leeds, UK

I like his sentiment on this one - Pitty the berks ego is getting a little bit too much these days. Am I right in thinking this "Our Englishman" Clarkson contributed as much as anyone to the demise of the "English" car industry ??

len sparkes, nottingham,

I'm sure the article, like most of his, was meant to be tongue in cheek, but this one is sadly too close to the truth.

daveyboy, bournemouth, dorset

The English have had their day, now it's payback time for the rest of the world! Take that and spin :))

Dude Guy in Idaho, Boise, Idaho

"We had saved the world from tyranny"? Without the US saving their royal buttocks Britons would be eating pretzels right now...

Andrea, Padova, Italy

You must get over the idea that the all males in the UK should think and behave as you do - we're all different - that's what makes us interesting. Otherwise you risk becoming a really grumpy old man. Anyway, it would be bad for your career (you know, brand, USP etc) if there were too many people like you.

BTW, I loved your programme about Brunel. Why can't you do more of that sort of stuff rather than the cheap knocking of other people and their cultures that is clearly partly tongue in (cheek although some of your audience take it at face value).

DavidBruno, Brussels, Belgium

JC (not the religious one! tut!)
But your a prophet in many ways. I've just come back from Malaysia, where the people are friendly, smile and have pride in serving you no matter where your from. However land back in Heathrow, and the down mouthed miserable jobsworths slink away from you rather than say hello, or even a curt "sorry" when you get barged into.

So Lewis Hamilton is off to live in Switzerland..... Good lad, don't blame him. And if my financial position was better, I'd do the same! People who ridicule him obviously don't realise half of the F1 grid live in Monaco... to...er....get a way from the press (nudge, nudge). We are being bled financially, and being succesfull is being frowned upon. Our land is not a happy one! It's not a great feeling to be felt like your over worked just to earn it for the govenment. And being watched at every corner!

Scott Stringfellow, Aylesbury,

I am thinking of emigrating back to the UK from South Africa as it appears another megalomanic(Zimbabwe) will become the next President(Zuma).
After reading these posts i am having second thoughts......anyone know when the base on the moon will be ready!!

paul watson, Joburg, SA

I think Aesop summed it all up nicely in the fable of the boy and the donkey. If you try to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one... The UK can't be all things to all people, and in attempting to be so is becoming the DK (Disunited Kingdom).

Sam R, Hertfordshire, UK

Mr Clarkson views are so true, and with so many people in agreement that there is a possible chance that he could enter politics and address the issues. Why don't you Jeremy?...You have my vote.

John Redpath, Manchester,

Well said Jeremy. Anyway, lets ignore the pathetic ones, do as we wish. The jails are full, and a high percentage are foreigners!

john nigel capper, Birkenhead, UK

It's a pity that Jeremy all the way through his article seems to think England and Britain are the same ('little island', etc). I know he once decided to wipe out Wales but both Wales and Scotland are still there and their teams didn't get through either. Perhaps the English team might have sung with a bit more enthusiasm if the tune had been 'Jerusalem', as 'God Save the Queen' is the British national anthem not the English one. (James Purnell, Minister of Culture, says England can't have one of its own.) Dave Cameron has said that he does not want to become Prime Minister of England. It looks like Jeremy doesn't want to be PM of England either. Gordon Brown, our present PM, signed the Claim of Right for Scotland which stated that signatories would always put the people of Scotland first and he wants England to be divided into regions. So let's have nominations (a) for England football manager and (b) Prime Minister of England.

Ian Campbell, W Horsley Leatherhead, Surrey England

Jeremy, you talk a lot of sense, witness the fact that almost all the comments I have read on your article fully support your views. How can we harness these views and start to make a difference? That's the only way forward... Anybody got any ideas?

B

Bob Cowper , Tring, UK

The person that wrote this tripe makes my blood boil these people were taken against their will and beaten into working in the most awful conditions you can imagine. Women were sold and raped by white men. Children were born into slavery. Feeling a little bit of guilt or remorse the wealth that our nation and we have inherited as a result of the slave trade is the least you can do. We are good people now, but when you make statements like that you are an embarrassment to Englishness. Why should we continue today to be sorry for what our forefathers did. Its done we have learnt to be more tolerant but there are limits and to be honest I dint think it will be long before this country sees rioting in the streets. People have had enough of the PC brigade and their tolerance messages. Its taken us down the road to ruin.

R Hewson, Lincolnshire, UK

And judging by Darran's spelling, the great English language is fast disappearing as well...

J, Exeter,

truthful and insightful, not very often can one say that with gusto!

Jeremy, london,

England and the concept of Englishness have been sold down the river by the political establishment ever since the War. Our leaders have betrayed us time and time again.

It's time to tell the apologists to shut up and stop living in the past.

It's time to reassert the English identity in Britain, Europe and in the wider world.

It's been dormant for too long.

Tom B, London,

I think this is an excellent article and totally agree that we need to have more national pride and more importantly the freedom to demonstrate it.

I am from this country, but my husband is from South America and to give his point of view he has been dissappointed with the lack of national pride that we have in this country and he would certainly not feel excluded if we showed more.

Tamianne, London,

In many ways I am glad both my Father & Grandfather are dead and never had to witness the many of those ways, which Jeremy C. listed. Bad enough that my Father survived to see Wilson, Heath, Callaghan, Major, Blair etc betray the Country he loved and gave his youth defending but to have the ignimony of Brown, Kinnock, Mandelson, Straw, Cameron, Osborne, Clarke, Millipied and Haine thrust upon him might have caused such a man of honour to take the one route he understood rather than see evil marching to a Common Purpose in venal betrayal to the odious corrupt and meaningfully undemocratic supra national EUropean soviet they foght against and we hate. That Jeremy C has written with such care, research and accuracy is a tribute to The Times - that the Police State under the heel of EUroPol with it's Rapid Repression Force would block such publication within 5-10 years seems inevitable. Our Defence Forces are already spent with its Generals willing to sell out in silence for their pensions

Greg LANCE - WATKINS, Chepstow, Monmouthshire, http://www.KidneyCancerResource.com

Well said Jeremy I couldn't agree more.

We didn't deserve to win the football and in fact I rather hoped we wouldn't as perhaps something might now change in English Football for the better.

Multiculturism means nothing . A people need their Country/Nation - always have and always will. There is NOTHING wrong with this it is natural as football team supporters needing a team to support!

I believe in the strong constituent parts of the United Kingdom .Together we are unbeatable but divided we will fall.

Yes I'm English - long live St George but also God Save the Queen!!!

Niall Warry, Sherborne, England

Clarkson's anti-environmental posturing is a little tiring, but along with a handful of other columnists (Melanie Phillips, Peter Hitchens, Rod Liddle...even Richard Littlejohn (!)) his chief virtue is in articulating in an exaggerated and amusing way what many of us are thinking. Even to think in terms of "us" and "them" today is considered deeply incorrect. At what point were the British people - and I mean British, not just English - consulted on the enormous social and demographic changes that have been foisted upon us? What say have we had on immigration, Europe, the free movement of people over national borders? And when was our nation state model - based on tradition, belonging, a shared history - hijacked by the left establishment to be replaced by the US republican model, of mass net inward migration, the 'melting pot', and allegiance to a flag, the state, a 'constitution'....?
All of Europe's peoples have been cheated by their political elites.....

Matt Small, Truro,

So accurate it reduced me to tears.....

Henry, London,

To be perfectly honest we need more people like Mr Clarkson coming forward and standing up for the rights of the Enlgish public.

As it stands londistan as he have become is over run with forgien imigrants who the goverement happily accomidates and endorses their 'home culture'. It is shocking that the goverment considered allowing muslims to have Sheiah Law. UNREAL! Yet as Mr Calrkson points out the English native is the 'butcher and murder'.

We Enlgish are being whiped out from within. Until we all take a stand and remeber what once made us a Great Nation we will continue on a slipery slide to becoming as weak and as liberal as the French. God help us all.

Darran, West Midlands, ENGLAND

Marvellous

Tom, London,

Only 1 view................

Why is it only respectable people can see whats going on in this Country? and that means the whole cultural decline!!!!

Ken S, SEDGEFIELD, COUNTY DURHAM

I don't know if you'll print this but here goes.....
Its not to long ago that a trip to the pub for a pint and a cigarette was socially acceptable and if you were a homosexual you kept it in the closet, now its illegal to have a cigarette in an enlcosed public place but if you're homosexual its socially acceptable, I have nothing against either being straight and a non smoker but is this, Britain changing to much?.
Go into any rural pub and you'll see pictures and paintings of the hunt now outawed in this country, a great British tradition gone!!!!!! where will it all stop?
Why can imigrants come here and find employment within weeks? and people on benefits can't, well up here in Tony Blaires ex constituency the common answer is " I wouldn't earn as much working, I'll stay on benefits" what does that tell you? reduce the benefits.............

I think the goverment needs to take a long look at exactly whats going on inthis country.

Patricia S, TRIMDON VILLAGE, COUNTY DURHAM

I am scottish but also definately British

I am not going to be offended in any way being described as British

we are better when we stick together

kevin sage, istanbul, turkey

Maybe the lack of current British identity is why I've felt that the Brits get frequently upset over nothing, especially when it comes to discussions that have anything to do with national identity, such as football (it's just a game for gawd sakes!).

It is behavior I normally associate with bad self appreciation on individuals, but I've come across it so much that it may be exactly what you describe as a national malaise.

A foreigner in London, London, UK

Now here's where the problem lies. There is no sense of Englishness because you're all confused and mixed up! Even jeremy makes the classic mistake here of confusing England with Britain ... sheesh! Go and get a parliament of your own or something [rolls eyes with increduility]

Alasdair, Glasgow,

My fellow Britons, do join me in raising your glasses.
To Jeremy Clarkson - one of the few commentators in Britain who actually speaks a bit of common sense.
Long may he rant and rave.

Joe, Kent, UK

Oh boy! England and Spain are more similar than anybody could think!! I was reading it and it was like you were talking about my country. What a life!

Eva, Madrid, Spain

Disgusted Dorothy

I think you'll find the Scots had a lot to do with 'The Empire', not just the English. You just try and pretend you didn't

Alex, London,

One reason we may have lost to Croatia, apart from lack of pride, tactical ignorance and a general apathy on the part of the players, is the fact that due to an 'open door', immigration policy there appeared to be at least as many Croate's in the stadium as English. The next time we play Poland I'm sure it'll be a home game for the away team!

Darren Heath, London, England

Bravo :D

Mark Mc, Leicester, UK

To Dismayed, yes, there is in fact a lot of money made in London, but not necessarily by the English. Approximately 50% of the people working in the City are foreign born. Tells you something. Also, Edinburgh is the fourth largest financial centre in Europe (after London, Paris and Frankfurt), so the Scots are more than pulling their weight.

LB, London,

It's not for "the equal opportunity, human rights, diet carbon, back room, bleeding heart liberals who advise the government: “ to telI you why being English is good thing. You should know. Where is your confidence? You should be highlighting the freedoms, the humility, the openess of our society, the sheer good heartedness of the overwhelming majority of people in this country, that sense of fair play, the way that our country despite an illustrious past still looks doggedly forward. You are part of the national culture, make it a positive contribution, stop moaning about what you feel we lost and start appreciating what we have.

A. D. Nelson, London, UK

A bit of history comes in useful: how did the Welsh and Cornish, who after all as Celts are the original English, get pushed into some corners of the British Isles? It was due to this arrogance that desires to keep themselves pure, so they kept withdrawing instead of adapting and absorbing the incomers. Do you see the same thing happening now? some are going off to Vancouver Island, some to little known islands off the mainland like Anglesey, etc all because they can't stand foreigners.

Eventually, greater England will be a rag-bag of different (and disordered) foreign ethnicities until a powerful civilization like the Chinese come in and take over everything to put order to the situation. Anglo-Saxons may become history.

Hey, if you really love England, stay here and influence it; adapt, absorb these newcomers [up to a point] but keep the native English culture the dominant one through proper legislation. Don't run away!

Chuck, Bristol, UK

If you go to Wales, there are flags and little Welsh ladies and daffodils (and sheep) everywhere in the shops.

If you go to Scotland there's bagpipes, and flags and mad tartan hats with ginger wigs in all of the shops.

The only time I've ever seen anything like that in England was in an episode of Friends!

Well said Jeremy, the English should have proper pride.

Caryl, Leeds,

I'm a white South African, imagine how much worse it is for us? Not sympathetic? Exactly.

Once we've shown that we actually have some compassion for those we abused (who would have done the same thing at the time - universal rights and humanity being a recent realisation), we can be proud of having invented cricket, heart-transplants and hygiene.

Until then, it's a big world and we all have to live here. We can't crow about our achievements when they violated someone else. That's just politeness - a famous English virtue.

Alan Millar, Cape Town, South Africa

Dear Jeremy, I am also extremely fed up with this army of SUPPOSEDLY politically correct (they are not) anthropo-eco-socio-logists wannabes (most are not even really graduated in these quasi-no fields of study), anti-development/progress/science/technology retards, idiots, luddites, working - in the community…

But I am not English. I am Italian (northern!). And I have lived in a few other countries (USA, Netherlands and Sweden), and I’ve noticed that this same intellectual ideological battle, this same split, happens there too!

My point is: I have much more in common with you than with an Italian eco-pessimist. For instance: I love cars too, as they represent, embody actually, science/technology/progress/OPTIMISM! So, I think that your gang, or tribe, is actually people that are also progressive, adventurous, preferably who are also intelligent, creative, honest, etc. I bet that if you think well, you will realise that for you too nationality is a less important point.

Marcello, Chichester, Sussex

I am proud of me. because I am responsible for my own actions. not boastfully proud, but more in "he takes pride in his job" sense.

why should I think of myself as part of a nation when I have nothing in common with either the chav estate thieves and crackheads or sir winston churchill? or anyone else. I take people as I find them, I'm not much interested in their nationality or race. I'd be friends with a frenchman over many of my own countrymen.

what we should be proud of is historically english attributes (the good ones anyway) of fairness, tolerance, etc which anyone may adopt. clearly, I don't associate myself with those who buried aborgine children up to their necks and then kicked their heads in. nor the slavers. I certainly don't feel guilty about what people did then and I'm unlikely to apologise to some random black person for it. I'd just treat him normally. and I'd expect the same. we should expect all to obey the law and be polite/considerate whilst here.

jem, london, uk

Good article and I am sure we have all observed that we are very proud indeed of whom we are and where we have come from and what we as a people have acheived (good or bad).

There are millions of us waiting for someone to tell us we are not racist nor bigots and that our misplaced pride in whom and what were are is not misplaced at all.

Its about time those whom would have English removed from the dictionary were held to account for what can be seen as nothing more than ethnic cleansing (without the genocide). And who thinks any of them are English by birth rite at all.

I teach my kids what it means to be English make no mistake.

ibbo, Leeds,

How wrong you are! The slave trade first an economic exercise turned into a brutal and disgusting era in the history of mankind. When traders were no longer willing to pay for slaves they captured them - shipped them to plantations - a process involving slaves chained and left to lie in their own excrement and vomit until reaching their imposed destination. Working Monday - Sunday until they died in a field before they reached the age of 39 (if lucky)...Taken from being a proud hunter to being a total nobody...

I'm proud of my African ancestors...

AM, London, UK

lynda plum, did our troops fight and die so you could make sarcastic comments about micah richards not singing the national anthem? I thought they fought and died so richards would have the freedom to do what he wants.

jem, london, uk

You CAN say you're British, just as long as you don't count "Britishness" and Englishness as being the same thing - they're not interchangeable.
I'm Welsh, and I would certainly call myself British if I went abroad. But I am NOT English, and I therefore object to being referred to as such.
I think the problem is that the English are almost forbidden a national identity - you don't even have your own anthem, you poor things. Rather than looking for a motto, Mr Brown really ought to have held a competition to vote for an English anthem.

Incidentally, bad luck on the football. At least you're better at it than us!

Hannah, Swansea, Wales

My soon to be son will be born in England. I don't mind at all, though he will also have an Irish passport, cos England is a good spot. So is Germany, Australia, Italy, US, Holland, France, Scotland, where I have also worked, and esp Ireland , where I come from, and has contributed alot with it's diaspora, around the world.
Anyway, that's nothing to do with this article, and I'm the fool who read it, and I really really really really hate Jeremy Clarkson, and all that he stands for. But then I read the article and am commenting on it, I'm all confused, must be the chilli I ate last night.

Deccie, Milan / Leeds / Dublin,

Mr Jeremy Clarkson, please wake up, this is the 21st century and people around the world have woken up. The past is history. In this new age of 'world wide' multiculturalism...The majority are people of colour and of a different culture. Unless you guys want live in your own little cocoon.

White people are only about 12-13 percent world population...please work out the percentage of British people.

Mohammed, London, UK

My god, the middle class English are some of the most pampered people on the planet and all you ever do is complain how everythings against you. Clarkson seems to have elected himself your spokesman and you all seem fairly onboard with this but why the relentess whingeing. Now it's all I can't dress up in my union jack underpants and crap on about how great we are without some imagined PC conspiracy whatever telling us not to. It isn't a crime so go ahead and wallow in your own imagined greatness, no ones stopping you, But you will of course come across as borish cretins.
One final thought, if your so cowtailed by certain sections of your own media into crawling into hiding about your Englishness then perhaps your not as proud as you think.

Bren, Hong Kong,

Great article, but I don't see the connection with modern English football. Just as twentieth century celebrity culture culminated in rap "singers", who don't even try to be entertaining when contemptuously waving money in your face, so footballers should give up running onto the pitch in their kits and boots. Instead, they should be honest and drive onto the pitch in their Bentleys and Aston Martins, pulling up only to briefly get out and moon the crowd while singing, "Baby I got your money", and then head off back to their castles.

Kevin, London,

'all of Scotland would rush over the border, pour porridge down my trousers and push a thistle up my bottom' .... hmmm, Freud would have a field day. Not sublimated wish-fulfilment Jeremy, is it?

I'm Scottish and I think the English (most of them) are great people but a bit flat in genuine national self-esteem and possibly a bit too insular at times (even more than us Scots!).

Have Faith and enjoy others' cultures, and shake off this 'everybody hates us' rubbish ... It IS possible to buck a trend ... I mean, who'd have imagined porridge rising to become a haute cuisine cholesterol-buster? ... or the source of Jeremy's worst nightmare / extreme pleasure?

David Scott, St Albans, England, UK

Whoooo... all very heavy! just a couple of points. First, why can't we be proud to be English AND proud to be British? Second, Adam you seem to be yet another in denial of one of the major truths of the slave trade in that the British slavers tipped up on the coast and bought the slaves from the locals - they rarely actually ventured into the interior to catch their own! And third, of course the great thing about being English or British is that it means we are not 'foreign!!'

Paul, London,

I believe people want to be part of a tribe... a gang... feel pride therein etc....What garbage.There is no more kudos in being "English" than there is in being left handed or monetarist or muslim or a welder.Tribalism/nationalism are negative predilictions and like religion have no place in modern society.

What we should have is some system whereby someone who subsidises a service (via taxation) has a say in the performance of such service.There is no "society" as such , only a collection of individuals coming together under agreed rules.Economic contribution-utilisation should be the governing arbiter of such rules not outmoded nationalist rubbish.Shame on you Jeremy as a thinking man

Pierce

Pierce, waterford, ireland

Hence we flee England. The government in my adopted country of Singapore doesn't put up with any nonsense. Strike? get back to work or your all fired. Different religious views: enjoy - live and let live. Stringent penalties for law breakers and 15% tax that gets spent on roads and infrastructure and health and schools and development not immigrant coddling.

mm, Singapore , Singapore

"...moved some chap from a hellhole in ghana to barbados"?. Should this be taken as a demostration of another english trait, institutionalised racism?.
e.thompson, leicester,"
Thank you for highlighting one of the points of the article. How is this at all racist? Do try to lighten up and get a sense of humour . Take the article in the light hearted way it was written, stop taking offense at everything and you might just start to enjoy life a little bit more.

Edward, London,

Always liked your articles - but thought at that most were playing to the crowd. But never thought that I would agree with so much you say in this article. Desperately sad really. I write from Vancouver Island. Great place. The UK used to be like this.

nick, victoria, canada

Start a political party Jeremy, right now. Before elections, party leaders right 100 manifesto's about why they should be the next Prime Minister. This article has more meaning, more relevance than any manifesto I have ever read.

Oliver (expat), CT, USA

This is by a long way the best thing you have ever written, Jeremy. And that's saying something because everything you write is brilliant.

Simon, Manchester,

Rupublican, I don't believe Jeremy's article was really about the football. It stretched a little bit further than that.

It's funny that something as insignificant as the colour of a passport fires people up. But the problem is is that it is significant in what it shows about us. Why must our passports be the same colour as everyone else's? Cant we have a little individuality?

There was a time when to be British meant something to those it really should; the British. Now we're all so caught up in making sure we treat everyone fairly and trying not to offend anybody we seem to have forgotten to look after ourselves. As a consequence we are all supposed to feel ashamed of being British because of all the things we've done. Sure, we didn't get an Empire by inviting the leaders of the world's nations over for tea and Scones but let's instead concentrate on the amazing things we've done and leave someone else to worry about the rest. If we're not going to have pride in ourselves, who is?

Archie Henderson, Bristol, England

Why are some 'English' churchmen forever whipping themselves over past misdeeds of an elite group of people who lived in their country in the past.

These same people would like the English to forever walk around with heads bowed and constantly appologise.

The same people do not demand the same approach from Scandinavia (remember the Vikings) or North Africa (remember the Moors) or many Africans (remember last week).

Many English people were living in Dickensian misery while slavery was happening, a holocaust on working class English that has been conveniently been forgotten. Some English clergy - who I won't name - are actually inverted racists because they attribute crimes to a whole nation when it suits their idiotic world view.

I am a Scot and I think English people should be rightly proud of their nation. Remember Dunkirk etc and don't disgrace those proud ancestors who you should honour.

Joe, Borders, Scotland

The best thing about any country in Europe is that its somewhat proud and nationalistic. I very much liked my stay in England because if nothing else it had true personality, a bit of grit, and unquestioned originality.

I agree wholeheartedly that the worst crime against oneself and ones country is to dismiss the interesting bits of your history and culture just because some of it was evil and terrible, all you'll end up with then a blob of gossiping cry babies with no real sense of humor.

As a American i hope what Jeremy observed is just a passing phase that will fizzle out, or otherwise i fear Britain may turn into a quasi northern Germany. God save the Germans!

Nicholas Owzcargolumpki(its Polish), Saline, Mi

One of the bad things about the English is their constant celebration of the glib fool. The fact that anyone admires this brainless adolescent is about the most damning condemnation of the English there could be.

eric campbell, harrogate , uk

So a bunch of loonies claiming to be religious zealots blew up some bombs in the underground. And the walking wounded made it to the surface. And the people in the houses near the underground stations kept a steady flow of tea going to said walking wounded. That is English spirit! And I felt so proud of you all.
Your nation is wonderful in adversity and you led the world in terms of naval ability for hundreds of years and you saved us all from German expansionism, twice, and the Queen seems a nice old duck.
Football? Seriously, you still have much to be proud of.

Catherine Staines, Palmerston North, New Zealand

The sooner you are Prime Minister Jeremy, the better. We'll have England back in a matter of days.

Imogen, Southampton, England

Mark in Hull -really? Become a republic, like North Korea perhaps or Sudan?

Bernard, Hatfield,

Please, please run for prime minister.

Dave, Yorkshire, England

Clarkson for PM!!!

This country is going down the drain, it needs a good kick up the arse!

guy grobler, London,

Best column he has ever written - thoroughly agree with every word.
Clarkson for PM!!

Adrianne Smyth, Stevenage, UK

Nationalism does nothing but teach you to hate people you've never met and take pride in achievements that you had nothing to do with - it is not something to desire more of.

P.S. Jeremy - you can say you are British all you want - it's when you refer to the whole U.K as 'England' that rubs people from the other parts of the U.K the wrong way!

Matthew, Aberdeen, Scotland

One marvellous aspect of Englishness is to be able to fully understand and appreciate the nuances and lyrical beauty, of music by a whole spectrum of great artists, from Morrissey to the Kinks, via the likes of John Cooper Clarke, the clash, the Stranglers, Billy Bragg, David Bowie etc the list of musical greats using our wonderful language as poetic aural sculpture seems infinite.

the man who never left the eighties

Anthony Fothergill, Eastbourne, E Sussex

And maybe succumbing to this political correctness explains the dire performance by the England team...Do Steven Gerrard and co share the apathy of the apparently average English person and simply choose to show it on the football field? It was galling to see him put away a fantastic free kick for his club yesterday but not put in a half decent performance for his country. Doesn't he just identify more with his city than he does with his country and his play reflects it? Is that what many of us actually feel more than an affinity with being English? Does being from the north, the south, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, London or wherever just mean more to us than being English?

Nicola, Mancunian in Oxford,

It's not really anything to do with England being part of the UK.

Read Orwell's 1941 essay, "The Lion and the Unicorn". Much of what he wrote then still applies today, with a few obvious adjustments. Eg, replace "Moscow" by "Brussels" in this passage:

"In intention, at any rate, the English intelligentsia are Europeanized. They take their cookery from Paris and their opinions from Moscow. In the general patriotism of the country they form a sort of island of dissident thought. England is perhaps the only great country whose intellectuals are ashamed of their own nationality. In left-wing circles it is always felt that there is something slightly disgraceful in being an Englishman and that it is a duty to snigger at every English institution, from horse racing to suet puddings. It is a strange fact, but it is unquestionably true that almost any English intellectual would feel more ashamed of standing to attention during ‘God save the King’ than of stealing from a poor box."

Denis Cooper, Maidenhead, England

The other day on BBC Radio, Edwina Curry was agreeing with those people who have criticised Oxford University's decision to allow Nick Griffin of the BNP to participate in a free speech debate . I hold no brief for any political party and certainly not the BNP. However, Mrs Curry stated that "we" are the most racially mixed nation in the world. I have heard this repeated so many times that I usually ignore it, but on this occasion it annoyed me because it is clear that this lie, which always goes unchallenged, is part of a propaganda campaign to deny that the indigenous British even exist, presumably so that we agree that there is no logical reason why we idigenous peoples should not be allowed to disappear as a result of uncontrolled immigration.. The facts seem to be that over 75% of the British peoples can trace their genes back to the post Ice Age settlement of Britain while the remainder are overwhelmingly Anglo-Saxon. So why is the BBC so bent on persuading us otherwise?

Tam Earl-Aine, Cheltenham,

Well said Jeremy. I agreed with all of that.
It's time - as put by John, London, for an independent England with it's own government at Westminster & with no whinging hangers-on. Jerusalem for the anthem, and pride in English history taught again in schools. Oh, and I'd like my passport back too, the blue hardback one - thanks awfully.

Lynne, Geneva, Switzerland

What you are trying to say is that England lost because they show no pride in their country, that they didn't sing the national anthem with gusto.

England lost this week because they had half the national team missing due to injury and that our most experienced and highly trained player did not start the match and that a novice keeper was put in goal.

However, if the article is about England's demise from the european championship, then that was down to the decision making of the now ex-england manager, both at the outset and at the end of his tenure as manager.

National anthem singing has never been a great feature for sportsmen, er, and before you mention the rugby....Jonny doesn't sing at all.....

Republican, Conwy,

the only good thing I can think of is that it makes it easier to move to australia. I would say that it is sad that noone is proud to be English anymore but that would make me a hypocrite

cs, sydney, oz

Is it a coincidence that Sven's ‘relatively successful’ era coincided with England’s home fixtures being played throughout England i.e. not at Wembley?

I felt a closer affinity with the team between Wembley’s because they sometimes played important games at my home ground. I won’t call the Wembley team London United, but, I have lost that lovin’ feelin’ and maybe they have lost some passionate player’s and supporters… Please ask the FA to do the sensible thing and give England back our team.

Mark, England,

"...moved some chap from a hellhole in ghana to barbados"?. Should this be taken as a demostration of another english trait, institutionalised racism?. Your statement suggests the africans that suffered the horrors of slavery should be grateful. You might as well argue that the jews should be grateful for the holocaust as it enables them to play the sympathy card for israel. Perhaps you'll touch on this in your next article.

e.thompson, leicester,

There is nothing wrong with the English celebrating the cruel treatment of the indigenous populations in the colonies and the looting of the resources of these nations to finance their English lifestyle. They should, however, be willing to take the stick from those who feel it is not heroism to subjugate, imprison and enslave people because their colour of skin happens to be different from that of the English. We are talking something that happened up to 1980. Needless to say that Europe still hasn't forgiven the Germans for starting the wars and neither has it allowed them to forget the holocaust. What is wrong is wrong even when it is done for 'God and country'

Nyengeterai Gidi, Stoke on Trent,

There is some hope:

"UN Declaration of Indigenous Rights of Indigenous Peoples
As adopted by the General Assembly on 13th September 2007.

Includes :

Article 7.2 "Indigenous peoples have the collective right to live in freedom, peace and security as distinct peoples"

Article 8.1 "Indigenous peoples and individuals have the right not to be subjected to forced assimilation or destruction of their culture."

Article 8.2 "States shall provide effective mechanisms for prevention of, and redress for:
(a) Any action which has the aim or effect of depriving them of their integrity as distinct peoples, or of their cultural values or ethnic identities;
(b) Any action which has the aim or effect of dispossessing them of their lands, territories or resources;
(d) Any form of forced assimilation or integration;

I know the lefties who don't like the British like to say we are a mongrel race but recent scientific studies have shown we are very similar to the fist people here.

Dave, london, England

And maybe succumbing to this political correctness explains the dire performance by the England team...Do Steven Gerrard and co share the apathy of the apparently average English person and simply choose to show it on the football field? It was galling to see him put away a fantastic free kick for his club yesterday but not put in a half decent performance for his country. Doesn't he just identify more with his city than he does with his country and his play reflects it? Is that what many of us actually feel more than an affinity with being English? Does being from the north, the south, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, London or wherever just mean more to us than being English?

Nicola, Mancunian in Oxford,

As a scot (can I say that?) living in England, that the politicians have hoodwinked us into believing in devoluton. We are a great nation, Great Britain. London may be spearheading the economy at present, but that was not so when we needed the factories and the boys to die in the trenches all over the world, every region in the uk played their part. This is the best written article in todays paper and I believe it forms the view of the
silent majority. Have you ever considered politics jeremy? We can change with the right leaders. Got my vote.

kenny livitt, hove, uk

i do happen to like england

lets see, you have london in all its glory, and the lake district, and kent... bluewater is another good thing.
british humour is the best, but since the 'colonies' have the same sense that isnt english is it?
theres the bbc, and the english rose, and morris dancing which looks very fun,
theres the commonplace arrogance that you all seem to have. which is bad. but i need an excuse.
theres crumpets and the odd educational system, theres cricket which is just funny. theres agatha christie, and of curse the queen.
there
thats some reasons

and im scottish =D
oh, and i wont shove a thistle up yer jacksey if you say somethings british. i will if you say something thats british is wholly english though =)

sarah, glasgow,

Oh, WELL DONE Jeremy. Thank God we still have one man who is prepared to stand up & fight the good fight. A voice for those of us who would like to reach out to as many as you can.

I want to be patriotic. I want to be able to show pride in my country, it's people, it's history, but it's so true that we are almost not allowed that right, for fear of upsetting others who don't agree.

Please won't you consider being PM and make our whole nation proud again?

I am proud we have YOU!!

JezzaBelle, Somerset, ENGLAND!!!

Clothilde Simon
definition of reign = The period during which a monarch rules.
Need I say more about English servitude, if only the Council of Ministers in Brussels.did rule over us - oh! happy day.

Eddie Reader, birmingham, england

I vote Jeremy for PM! A story that may not have got far outside Bath; a couple of years ago someone went into a Bath police station and complained that there was a little St Georges flag in with some pens and pencils, in a window visible to the public, and it could cause offense to visiting tourists. It turned out it was a local counselor, who tried to lie and deny it, but he was outed by the local paper, then ousted at the next local elections by the good people of Bath, who seemed entirely unashamed of the national flag and showed their ire in no uncertain terms.

Alan, Bath, UK

Is being English a good thing?

Yes and no depending on what you talk about.

Before operation " Iraqi oilfields freedom " war nearly 2 million people, majority English, protested aginst it in the streets of London. They showed the world that they have standards, morals and principles that made them object to bombing people just for the sake of oil ( you do not really believe the USA/UK went there to liberate us Iraqis from the very dictator the British and Americans, amongst other, armed and supported in the 1980's). Jeremy you should be proud of such Englishmen. As regards other things done at the time of empire, history tells us that all empires, and there were many, abused their power so you are not alone.

Y.Ubaidi, (not English)

Y.Ubaidi, Swansea, uk

"I tell them I'm English but add that my country England doesn't exist anymore. "

And quite right too considering England hasnt existed since 1707.

Calum Iain, Stornoway, Albainn

Spot on, Jeremy!

You almost had me jumping up out of my chair to sing a rousing Yank rendition of "God Save the Queen."

As the old saying goes, "If you worry about what people think of you, you will always be their prisoner." It's especially sad when it is an entire nation being held prisoner.

Scott, Durham, NC, USA

Surely It comes as a total surprise to me that the english don't take pride at their country. It's probably just a momentary nationalistic slowdown, you'll be soon back on track. Anyhow, just for the record, italians and french (why forget brazilians) win sometimes at football because they know how to play it. If that's too difficult to admit, than maybe national proud and intelligence are too difficult to combine, in england. This is something you should maybe start thinking about.
cheers

Filippo, roma, italia

I am English and this is a Good Thing because I can watch my still-living Scottish prime minister being interviewed live on the British Blairite Corporation by any number of charming we Scotch lassies all called Kirsty, without any of my compartiots even thinking of murdering him, despite the fact that his administration is worse than the one the Stuarts foisted on us and from which the Germans, making a good start in international relations, liberated us with Hanoverian rule. It's called English tolerance for the economic migrant.

Julian Cox, London, England

As and Englishman living in the USA, I am proud of being English but ashamed of England, its government and its whining, politically correct, apologists. I don't find that feeling amongst my host Americans who are proud of their history, achievements and flag.
England needs to stand up for its past, but it won't. It's too late. The nation has been hobbled and taken over.
And to the lady who commented about slavery - yes the British (all of them) traded in slaves. But who sold those slaves in the first place? Their fellow countrymen. And who was the country that did most to end the trade - England.

Martin O, Shalimar, Florida, USA

Same thing in France... We need to be careful not to mention the war with the Germans, we must understand that our colonial past was bad, very bad indeed, and wear our best grief-stricken face each time a sad WWII episode comes into light through films or remembrance. We may just as well resent De Gaulle for leading to Pétain's demise!
France, just like England, was carved through many sword blows and that's fact. There is no point denying it. However, good luck in finding a high scholl History handbook mentioning any of our historical heroes. The vase of Soisson? too gory for children... Napoleon's generals? No mention of them anywhere. The British sang Nelson's glories at Trafalgar's anniversary, but there has been no mention of Austerlitz during the same year in France. Those thousands of soldiers dead for our country are not heroes, they are errors of judgement. We cannot build our future if we do not understand our past, but PC wants us to erase it, and be ashamed before we do it

Xavier Seynave, Thetford Mines, Canada

"But I must beat myself to death every night because my great-great-great-grandad moved some chap from a hellhole in Ghana to Barbados."

But Jeremy, these people were taken against their will and beaten into working in the most awful conditions you can imagine. Women were sold and raped by white men. Children were born into slavery. Feeling a little bit of guilt or remorse the wealth that our nation and we have inherited as a result of the slave trade is the least you can do. We are good people now, but when you make statements like that you are an embarrasment to Englishness.

Adam, London, UK

Is it any wonder that the most talked about dinner party discussion these days is emigration? Clarkson you catch the sentiment of a lot of people, most, too reserved to say anything.

Start with voting rights; redress the balance so that English votes count. The union should still exist but with so much devolution, it can never be the same again.

Too much of English money made in London is leeched to Scotland and Wales. Let’s reinvest it in England. Let’s stop what are tantamount to multi-billion dollar aid packages and spend our money on English people.

The recent 'local govt Futures and Oxford economics' paper said that the South East provided £15.1billion more in taxes than was spent in the region last year. I say free care for the elderly in England. It's time the English told a Scots cabinet, determined to appease their constituencies north of the border (with their own parliament) to give us our fair share.

Dismayed, England,

Eddie Reader might at least quote the anthem correctly. It's "long to reign over us". The Queen reigns, Brown and his bunch of fools rule over us (or perhaps the EU does). There is a difference.

I think the point about being English is that when you look at the other nations they are even worse.

And I don't care who wins at football. It's a game. Perhaps we're better at snakes and ladders.

Clothilde Simon, Leeds,

if your idea of Englishness is holding the views that you express above, then its a poor day indeed.

People of your background and class may yearn for a return to the days when the rest of us were serfs, and where British Thugs roamed the world stealing from the natives, but I certainly do not.

Declare a Republic and join the rest of the world in the present.

mark, hull, uk

The present government has long wanted to abolish the English & Englishness - & this isn't due to the Scots in the government; the English ministers are even worse. In the 2001 census everyone was invited to tick boxes to state their ethnic group - Scots, Welsh, Irish & a dozen or more African/Asian/Caribbean ones. But no box for the English. They were invited to call themselves 'white British'.

Dave, Wrexham,

For the first time that I can remember, Mr Clarkson has turned his inestimable wit to a useful topic.I am sure that what he has done for (or against) the motor car is revered by a chosen few of the petrolhead club, but we certainly need more of this kind of critique in the socio-political arena.

Maybe I do him an injustice and he has been penning such comment for years, but I would like to see much more of it from now on.

Mike Poulsen, Reading, Berkshire

Reclaim your flag,wave it whenever appropriate!
We Scots love the Saltire,the Welsh love their dragon!
But watch out for an arrogant national pride based on 'days of Empire' and 1966!
Scotland has woken up and is ready to face the world.
Waken up you English folk,it's time for change!
And while I'm here DON'T BELIEVE everything you read in the press about any other nation!

Disgusted Dorothy, Glasgow, Scotland

I am Romanian and very proud of my country. We did many good and bad things in our past (and even present!), but weve always had the sense of belonging somewhere and having some roots. I learnt how to love and respect its land and people, with its successes as well as failures!
If you deny that, you haven't got much.

Anca W, London, UK

Jeremy ,

I agree you are so right, but there is hope my thirteen year daughter is joining the Army Cadets and my Eleven Year son is either going play footie, rugby for England (he know all the words to God Save The Queen) or be an investor banker. With parents like Mel and Steve Jones I know that almost all the youngsters in Liverpool will turn out to be great ambassadors for our once great and soon to be great again country. But we will miss little Rhys, England could of used him on the left side. Any way got to go back to work, good luck with the new show its brilliant.

ANDY, Liverpool, England

Spot on

David Thomas, Norwich, UK

In England, people have been conditioned so intensively & browbeaten so constantly for the last ten years by politicians & the politically correct brigade that they no longer have the will or courage to speak openly about their desire to remain & be proud to be English. Every other country that makes up the UK are allowed & encouraged to beat their chests & insist that they regain their national identity, but as soon as an English person does so s/he is shouted down & ridiculed or branded as being racist and xenophobic and if they dare to mention that England is a Christian country they are branded as being a bigot. I too watched the England v Croatia soccer match & saw certain players seemingly unable to, or ashamed to, sing our national anthem, none more so than Mica Richards who reminded me of John Redwood when he was Welsh Secretary & tried to mime the Welsh national anthem. What on earth did our troops fight for when defending this country during past wars & conflicts

Lynda Plum, London, england

" ... chances are we’ll never win at football again."

Not until the English FA comes to its senses and appoints Nicholas van Hoogstraten as team coach. I am certain that his team talks would prove highly motivational producing 100% efffort from all the players! No more excuses just guaranteed results! No more bungs! The anti-English bias displayed by so many foreign officials, referees and linesmen would melt away under under his gaze. Muppets!

Gordon Ottershaw, Barnstoneworth, UK

The answer lies in the national anthem - 'long to rule over us'
Only a subjugated people would sing that. Billy Bragg for President and Jerusalem for anthem.
As an Englishman I can only say I'm glad Clarkson is an Englishman.

Eddie Reader, birmingham, england

Hey Clarkie,
I'll tell you why It's good to be English, because If you weren't English and your name was Adebayo and not Clarkson the only job you would be able to get here in England is as a traffic warden.
But you know Jerry (pun) what you said about beating yourself to death because of hell'holes, you wouldn't have to do that if we hadn't beaten Hitler to death would you?
If we hadn't all of you who seem to take pride in hell-holes would be able to say how proud you are to have done those things.

Ian, London,

Dear Jeremy,

As soon as you become prime minister ... no, belay that ... President for life ...... i promise i will come home ! !

andy james, lyon, france

As a Scot, I can only say that it is a good thing that Jeremy Clarkson is English.

IanH, Glasgow,

I live in France and when people ask me what nationality I am I tell them I'm English but add that my country England doesn't exist anymore. All the true Englishman I meet have an inner, unspoken knowledge of what being English is, unlike the people that now run Britain.

Doug George, Antibes, France

Is being English a good thing?

Imagine if American troops had been deployed to deal with the Irish problem. There'd be nothing left.

Hmmm. Maybe that would have been a good idea.

Bill, Belfast, N.I.

'Fraid you are swimming against the tide Jeremy, although I entirely agree with you...and it is indeed absurd that our flag is derided so. When will people realise that wanting to be British does not exclude other races and creeds it should actually encourage them. It is the lack of the feeling of inherent Britishness that is destroying the country, not the mix of people inside it.

There aren't many things I envy the Americans, but I do envy their patriotism.

David, Hemel Hempstead, UK

Read Three Men on a Bummel by Jerome k Jerome, kind of puts it all into perspective again.
Thanks Jeremy

Nick, Cornwall,

To gain pride in being English requires breaking bonds with
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and having a real
independent country called simply England. Get rid of all this
Britain, Great Britain, United Kingdom cobblers and you will
end up with a country of 50m people who will once again
have the same sort of national pride that you see in France
and Italy. You may even begin to win competitions the way
the French and the Italians regularly do.

John, LONDON,

Something good about being English? Erm... We've got Clarkson!

Jip Foster, Reading,

Is being English a Good thing?

...well I'm still thinking of a good answer to that one.

Mike, Reigate, Surrey

At last, the truth is spoken and common sense prevails. These are the thoughts of most men and women in England today, it's such a shame that people feel they cannot fly the English flag or voice these thoughts for fear they would be branded a hooligan or heaven forbid politically incorrect!

James Horlock, Wokingham, England