If what matters is how people self identify what anyone else thinks is irrelevant.

If you now accept that people can identify as whatever they like then this discussion is over. Being English is a social identity. Otherwise known as an ethnicity. Being British is a nationality. Our nationality. We both identify as English despite having significant contributions from elsewhere in our genes. So does the King. Even more so in his case, being 50% Greek on top of his German connections.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.

I'll expand on the link between Truro & Brittany.

During the early Mesolithic period, England was connected to a land bridge to Europe called Doggerland, increasing temperatures would end the Ice age & rising sea levels & natural disasters would see Doggerland disappear for good, from this point Britain would embark on an evolutionary & cultural path exclusive from that of Europe.

Fast forward to Celtic Britain, the Romans have left a power vacuum & the Anglos, Saxons & Jutes have started to occupy the Eastern part of England.
As the Anglo Saxons push further West Bretonnic refugees retreated to modern day Wales Scotland & Cornwall.
Fearing subjugation & death the retreating Bretons led by a majority Dumnonii (Cornish a people more or less gentically isolated since the early Mesolithic) would leave England for good & would eventually settle in Bretagne (Brittany or little Britain).
Brittany remained an independent state until joining France in the 1500's however there is a real push for Brittany to become independent again with over 50% of the population wanting to protect it's genetic & cultural identity.
I guess diversity isn't their strength
The Dumnonii (people of Truro) & those of Brittany are genetically the same people.

At this point I'll add that England directly translates to Land of the Angles so by it's very definition you need to be Anglo to be English.

Thank you for coming to my Ted talk.

Edited by Ouzo Dan (18 Jun 2024 7.54am)

Attachment: doggerland.jpg (217.83Kb)

The mountains are calling & I must go.

How much broader can you get?

You are wasting my time, and yours.

If I thought it was appropriate, but I don’t and I wouldn’t. I am English.

Some who have lived here since birth, but whose parentage isn’t Cornish, have been fully brought up within the local culture, accept and cherish it, would almost certainly identify as Cornish. They would also be accepted as Cornish by others. No one would give a thought to checking their genetic heritage.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.

You could, but unless you were indeed bonkers, you wouldn’t. You have no cultural connection to their culture at all. You would be foolish and look foolish but if you wanted to do it no one could stop you. Being ridiculous isn’t a crime.

As I said what others think is irrelevant. They have no authority. This is a cultural issue, not a legal one. The legal one defines nationality and we are all British, not English.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.

I honestly dont have the energy

The mountains are calling & I must go.