Little Englanders

Posted on March 11th, 2013 by James Higham

st george

Having been called a Little Englander again, I always wondered why it was said disparagingly. My understanding was that it meant that England should stand on her own in world affairs and that means out of the EU for a start.

And if other home countries want to have their own parliament, then we should have Westminster as ours. It’s not as deep in me as in others but fair’s fair – what’s good for one …

Now is that a Little Englander? If so, then I’m proud to acknowledge it.

So I thought that before posting, it might be as well to have my facts straight and Wiki was the obvious choice. Imagine my horror at reading this:

Arthur Ponsonby wrote of the Liberal Party leader Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman’s reputation for his opposition to the Boer War: “The impression one got of him from the Press in those days was… that he was an unpatriotic Little Englander”.

Unpatriotic? Unpatriotic is the Labour Party [which is beholden to the Internationale], unpatriotic are the Lib Dems who want the EU to milk us of everything British and split up England. Supporting England is unpatriotic?

And there was more:

Little Englander is also, colloquially speaking, an epithet applied in criticisms of English people who are regarded as xenophobic and/or overly nationalistic and are often accused of being “ignorant” and “boorish”.

Who wrote this guff? Boorish? By supporting England as an entity?

Filed under: History & Culture, Politics & economics

5 Responses to “Little Englanders”

  1. Amfortas, on March 11th, 2013 at 13:57 Said:

    You might smile at knowing that over here in Oz, amongst my modest circle of friends, I am called ‘the Last Englishman’.

    One of my good friends is a ninety+ y/o ex Spitfire pilot. He is possibly more entitled to the title and he has not, as I have, stood on a Town Hall stage, raised his hand and said ‘G’Day’ thereby becoming an Aussie.

    There is only little england now. Great Britain sank many years ago. I leaped off its burning deck back in ’84 just before the magazine blew.


  2. A K Haart, on March 11th, 2013 at 14:03 Said:

    I think “Little Englander” is merely mild abuse deemed acceptable in certain circles. A form of name-calling.
    A K Haart recently posted…Red Nose DayMy Profile


  3. Harry J, on March 11th, 2013 at 15:02 Said:

    James, in what context were you called a ‘Little Englander’? I’d love to know.


  4. Wolfie, on March 11th, 2013 at 16:09 Said:

    The word Boorish seems to have mutated over the years in colloquial usage to mean someone who simply doesn’t succumb to the current obsession with “group-think” and mob approval.


  5. Ian Hills, on March 11th, 2013 at 21:03 Said:

    Not wanting to be part of some international superstate is an INSULT?


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