The dilemmas of ethnic privilege: A comparison of constructions of 'British', 'English' and 'Anglo-Celtic' identity in contemporary British and Australian political discourse

Abstract

There has been considerable political debate regarding the construction of 'British' and 'English' identity. This article examines the views of British political leaders Blair, Hague and Duncan Smith. It argues that a comparison with Australian political debates over the construction of 'Anglo-Celtic' and national identity can be particularly helpful. The Australian experience draws attention to the need to consider diasporic constructions of 'Britishness'; reinforces the need to address the colonial implications of mainstream British identity; and emphasizes the dangers posed by conservative mobilizations of traditional ethnic identities in response to 'modernizing' projects by Labour governments. Both the British and Australian debates reveal the dilemmas posed by powerful ethnic identities whose privilege is under threat.