Believing in Britain: The Spiritual Identity of 'Britishness'

Why is there such intense interest today in the idea of 'Britishness'? Does it really matter, and what is 'Britishness' anyway? Why does 'being British' seem to be particularly valued by black and Asian Britons? And why are the traditional British values of tolerance, sexual modesty and civic generosity now most highly cherished amongst newcomers? Ian Bradley makes a unique contribution to the debate about British identity. He explains why Liverpool is the most British of UK cities, how a small village off the M6 motorway is arguably Britain's spiritual heart, and what theme parks, airport shops and eating habits tell us about the contemporary national character. It is often claimed that the UK is one of the most secular nations on earth. But the author controversially argues that Britishness - like the overlapping crosses of the 400 year-old Union flag - is better understood in religious terms. British identity encompasses both a resurgent interest in faith, and a tolerant unity in diversity, the diversity of a society which now embodies Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist and many other - including secular - traditions. Bradley's idea of 'Britishness' represents a positive alternative to fundamentalism, narrow nationalism and jingoism.