The Economist - British Identity

Culture

MORI survey for the Economist conducted September 1999 on national identity, regional devolution and attitudes towards the USA, France and Germany

 
  • MORI interviewed a representative quota sample of 923 respondents aged 18+ at 81 sampling points across Great Britain.
  • Interviews were conducted face-to-face on 24-27 September 1999.
  • Data are weighted to match the profile of the population.
  • An asterisk "*" denotes a figure of more than zero but less than 0.5%.
  • Where figures do not add up to 100%, this could be due to computer rounding, multi-coded answers or the exclusion of "don't knows".
  • Fieldwork was conducted as part of MORI's regular Omnibus for The Economist.

Q1 In a crisis, which of these - Europe, the Commonwealth or America - do you think would be Britain's most reliable political ally?

  %
Europe 16
Commonwealth 15
America 59
All the same 1
None of these 3
Don't know 6

Q2-3 I would now like you to think about three countries - France, Germany and America. Which one of these, if any, do you think Britain can learn most from in the way: … the economy works? … the way democracy and government works?

  Q2 Q3
  Economy Demo/Govt.
  % %
France 5 6
Germany 36 23
America 34 36
All the same 2 2
None of these 8 17
Don't know 14 16

Q4 Which two or three of these, if any, would you say you most identify with? Please read out all that apply.

  GB Eng Scot* Wal*
  (923) (789) (94) (40)
  % % % %
This local community 41 42 39 32
This (GOR) region 50 49 62 50
England/Scotland/Wales 45 41 72 81
Britain 40 43 18 27
Europe 16 17 11 16
The Commonwealth 9 10 5 3
The global community 8 9 5 2
None of these * * 0 0
Don't know 2 2 1 0

* = Small sample sizes

Q5 Which of two or three of these, if any, would you say you least identify with? Please read out all that apply.

  GB Eng Scot* Wal*
  (923) (789) (94) (40)
  % % % %
This local community 5 5 4 0
This (GOR) region 9 11 1 0
England/Scotland/Wales 4 4 2 0
Britain 3 3 3 5
Europe 35 36 31 24
The Commonwealth 45 45 45 55
The global community 55 54 61 59
None of these 3 3 8 2
Don't know 6 5 7 11

* = Small sample sizes

Q6 And which of these flags, if any, do you identify with?

    GB Eng Scot* Wal*
    (923) (789) (94) (40)
    % % % %
United Kingdom (the Union Jack) 83 88 49 55
England (Cross of St. George) 33 38 2 3
Scotland (Saltire/Cross of St. Andrew) 23 18 75 8
Wales (The Welsh Dragon) 26 24 12 85
European Union (12 stars) 21 23 5 7
United States (Stars and Stripes) 23 26 7 *
  Don't know 2 2 0 1

* = Small sample sizes

Q7 In May this year, the government established a Scottish Parliament and a Welsh Assembly. It has also said that English regions can set up their own elected assemblies, where there is a demand for it. In 20 years' time, which of these bodies, if any, do you expect to have most influence over your life and the lives of your children?

  GB Eng Scot* Wal*
  (923) (789) (94) (40)
  % % % %
My local Council 13 14 5 7
Scottish Parliament/Welsh Assembly/        my regional assembly 13 9 46 26
The Westminster Parliament 22 23 8 25
The European Parliament/European Union 44 46 31 37
Don't know 8 8 10 6

* = Small sample sizes

Q8 How much say do you think people in England/Scotland/Wales have over the way they are governed - too much, too little, or about the right amount?

  GB Eng Scot Wal
  (923) (789) (94) (40)
  % % % %
Too much 2 2 1 0
About the right amount 27 28 20 21
Too little 67 66 78 77
Don't know 4 4 1 2

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