Robert Jenrick says English identity is 'under threat' but his arguments don’t hold water, writes former minister John Denham

20 September 2024, 12:24 | Updated: 20 September 2024, 12:31

Robert Jenrick’s claim that English identity is threatened by mass immigration and ‘woke culture’ is calculated to mobilise Conservative members and perhaps some Reform UK voters around his Tory leadership bid.

The two interesting questions are who may be impressed and whether his claims have any substance.

National identities are curious things. They are not immutable, but nor are they infinitely flexible. They comprise shared stories, histories and values, which evolve to include new people responding to new circumstances.

Mostly we now recognise that the World Wars were not won by white British people alone, and memorial belongs to all in a diverse country. The impact of black and Asian sportspeople in England’s national teams has shaped a nation in which a small minority think you must be white to be English.

Nonetheless, being English is not a free-for-all. A large majority still see ‘being born here’ as an important part of being English. Migrants do always become English over time, but the greater the rate of immigration, the longer it takes to forge a shared national community.

Jenrick’s appeal is to older white voters who have not been to university and are the least reconciled to migration. They emphasise their English identity and are strongly patriotic. These voters were more likely to vote Conservative or Reform than Labour in July. But does the Tory future lie with this shrinking minority?

It is truer that the establishment shuns English identity. Keir Starmer – undoubtedly a British patriot - entered Downing Street to a backdrop of Scottish Saltaires, Welsh Dragons, and Union Flags but no St George’s Cross.

Those working in the civil service, media, culture and the voluntary sector are less likely to identify as English than the wider population. Some at least largely shun patriotism and national identity and are reluctant to engage in any debate about immigration and social cohesion.

This is the challenge raised by Jenrick. While politicians like him see resistance to change as a route to advancement, too few others want to shape the shared and inclusive English identity that would be the best response.

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Prof John Denham is Director of the Centre for English Identity and Politics at Southampton University and is a former Labour Communities Secretary. He blogs at www.theoptimisticpatriot.co.uk

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