Government policy on English identity
The UK Government has explicitly recognised English identity as part of the United Kingdom’s national identity and has said that people should be able to express national pride. Its approach is set out in the Government’s 2026 policy statement, Protecting What Matters: Towards a more confident, cohesive and resilient United Kingdom.
So what does the Government actually say about Englishness, English history and English national identity?
What does the Government say about English identity?
The Government explicitly recognises England as one of the UK’s four nations.
In its discussion of national identity, the Government refers specifically to people “from England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland”. It describes the UK’s national identity as pluralistic and says people should be able to celebrate what they share while also being proud of their country’s history and heritage.
The Government therefore does not treat English identity as incompatible with British identity. Instead, its policy presents English identity and British identity as overlapping identities within the United Kingdom.
Does the Government recognise Englishness?
Yes.
The policy statement directly discusses “being English” and the meaning of Englishness.
The Government argues that English identity should not be defined by race or religion. It specifically rejects the idea that being English means being White or Christian.
Instead, it promotes what it calls “a confident, modern patriotism” and presents national identity as something that can be shared by people of different ethnicities, religions and backgrounds.
This is an important distinction in the Government’s policy: it recognises English identity while rejecting an ethnic definition of Englishness.
Does the Government support English national pride?
Yes.
The Government explicitly says that people should feel confident expressing national pride.
It gives examples including flying national flags, wearing national colours, celebrating festivals and successes, and marking national events and commemorations.
The Government presents these forms of national pride as potentially positive forces for bringing people from different communities together.
Does the Government want people to have a sense of national belonging?
Yes.
The Government says its vision is for people to have “pride in Britain, and pride in place” and to feel “a sense of belonging to their nation”.
This is significant because the policy does not present British identity as the only legitimate level of national belonging. It explicitly recognises people’s connection to their own nation alongside their British identity.
Does the Government recognise England as a nation?
Yes.
The policy statement refers to the United Kingdom as containing “our four distinct and proud nations”.
England is therefore explicitly included within the Government’s four-nation understanding of the United Kingdom.
However, the document does not propose a separate English national government or an independent English national identity programme. Its approach is to strengthen national belonging while maintaining the wider United Kingdom.
What does the Government say about English history?
The Government proposes strengthening the teaching of national history in England.
One of its specific commitments is to “strengthen the national curriculum and qualifications in England to ensure high quality teaching of our nation’s history”.
This commitment appears alongside proposals for stronger citizenship education, including teaching about democracy, constitutional principles and the rule of law.
The Government therefore sees the teaching of national history as part of strengthening citizenship, belonging and social cohesion.
Does the Government want English history to be taught more strongly?
Yes.
The policy contains a specific commitment relating to England’s national curriculum and qualifications.
The Government says that teaching of “our nation’s history” in England should be strengthened.
This is one of the clearest practical policy commitments in Protecting What Matters that relates directly to national identity in England.
What role does the English language have in the Government’s policy?
The English language is given an important role in the Government’s approach to integration and social cohesion.
The Government describes English as a key facilitator of cohesive communities and says that a shared language provides a basis for participation in society.
It proposes stronger expectations around English-language proficiency as part of a wider approach to integration.
The policy therefore connects language, participation, integration and shared identity.
Does the Government want new arrivals to integrate into English or British culture?
The Government says that people coming to live in the UK should make an effort to integrate into the country’s shared culture, respect its traditions and uphold its values.
The policy presents integration as involving more than simply living alongside other communities. It includes shared identity, language, participation and knowledge of the country’s values and institutions.
What does the Government mean by patriotism?
The Government explicitly presents patriotism as something that can be positive.
The policy refers to “confident, modern patriotism” and describes patriotic pride as a potential “force for good”.
However, the Government’s definition of patriotism is explicitly inclusive. It rejects defining national identity by race or religion and instead presents patriotism as something open to people from different backgrounds.
Does the Government have a policy on English nationalism?
The Government’s Protecting What Matters policy statement does not describe itself as a programme for English nationalism.
Instead, it promotes an inclusive form of national identity within the United Kingdom.
The Government recognises England as a nation, recognises English identity and encourages national pride, but places these within a wider framework of British identity, social cohesion and a multi-ethnic United Kingdom.
This distinction matters. The policy supports the expression of English identity, but it does not propose replacing British identity with English identity.
What does the Government say about English heritage?
The Government strongly supports the preservation and celebration of national and local heritage.
Its wider programme includes investment in museums, heritage organisations, libraries, historic buildings and cultural institutions. It links cultural heritage with “pride in place”, community identity and social cohesion.
For England, these measures provide a practical part of the Government’s broader policy of strengthening people’s connection with their history, culture and communities.
So, what is the Government’s policy towards English identity?
The Government’s position can be summarised in six points:
- England is recognised as one of the UK’s four nations.
- English identity and Englishness are explicitly recognised as legitimate forms of national identity.
- People are encouraged to express national pride, including through flags, colours, celebrations and commemorations.
- The Government wants national history to be taught more strongly in England.
- English-language proficiency, shared identity, culture and traditions are treated as important elements of integration.
- English identity is promoted within an inclusive British framework rather than being defined by ethnicity or religion.
Why does the Government’s policy on English identity matter?
Protecting What Matters represents one of the clearest recent Government statements on the relationship between English identity and British identity.
It does not create a separate “Englishness policy”. However, it explicitly recognises England as a nation, discusses Englishness, supports national pride, promotes the teaching of national history in England and links shared identity with language, culture, heritage and belonging.
For anyone interested in the future of English national identity, the document is therefore an important primary source.
For a broader explanation of the ideas behind English identity and Englandism, see What is Englandism?.
What does this mean for the future of English identity?
The Government’s stated direction is towards a more confident expression of national identity, but within an inclusive and explicitly multi-national United Kingdom.
Its policy accepts that people can be proud to be English while also being British. It also makes a distinction between an inclusive English identity and an ethnic definition of Englishness.
The debate over what English identity means — and how England’s history, culture, traditions and national symbols should be represented — is therefore likely to remain an important part of Britain’s wider debate about national identity.
What is the Government’s primary source for its policy on English identity?
The Government’s position is set out in Protecting What Matters: Towards a more confident, cohesive and resilient United Kingdom, Command Paper CP 1559.
Read the UK Government’s Protecting What Matters policy statement.
Publication: 9 March 2026
Updated: 28 April 2026
Publisher: UK Government