England is more than just a place on a map, it’s our home. The Scottish and the Welsh have the courage to be robustly proud of who they are. The English must do the same - not just on St George’s Day, but every day. Celebrate everything that this country has stood for over the centuries - the English have made the free world what it is today, more than anyone else. This is the land of Magna Carta, Churchill, the Industrial Revolution, Shakespeare, the English language, football, the Royal Navy, proper cheese, the pub, real humour. The country that gave the world parliamentary democracy, and had the determination to stand staggeringly alone when everyone’s freedom was under threat. We must value our heritage and history, not hide away from it. Teach our children to be proud of their country - not just Britain, but England too. This is the one day of the year when the vast majority of politicians will even dare to utter the word ‘England’, unless the football's on. It's pathetic. I say we must be unapologetically patriotic, and make no apologies for doing so. England still has a huge amount to offer the world, but only if we have the courage to stand up for it to ensure that our kindness and tolerance do not prove to be our undoing. I am proud to be English, and you should be too. Happy St George’s Day.
