England

A very Happy St George's Day. Although the Catholic Church removed him from its list of saints some time ago the day remains as a celebration of England and its people. I suppose in years to come the diveristy of a nation will not allow a Christian saint's day to define it, for now the significance remains. I lived "down south", as they say up here, from 1992 to 1997 and 2001 to 2002, in Oxford, Oxfordshire and Hereford. I know these places are especially agreeable but I have nothing but fond memories of my time there. So, when those of us who advocate Scottish Independence are tainted as ant-English I can only give a wry smile. After all Scottish Independence will, eventually lead to English Independence and the re-birth of that great nation. However as R S Thomas wrote Britishness is merely a mask for Englishness and many English people unwittingly do feel an equivalence. No point in moaning of this up north- what more can be expected given the numbers of people involved. The 1707 Union was never a union of equals but an incorporating one. Anyway here's to England.