John Lloyd has a typically thoughtful op-ed in the FT today about how we should teach history in schools and how we can create a sense of nationhood that fits this post-devolution, multi-ethnic country. Lloyd argues that the problem with Gordon Brown’s belief that an emphasis on liberty, equity and democracy can unite the country is that they are universal ideals not solely British ones.
Lloyd suggests that the way these values could tie the country together is if they are rooted in a sense history. To that end, he thinks we need a new version of the kind of popular, narrative history embodied by Our Island Story. He says that it should start something like this, “Once upon a time, people yearned to breathe free. This is the story of how hard it is to make that happen, and how we on this island have tried…”
Now, this is a little too American-sounding to be distinctively British. (Indeed, what makes it so hard to come up with an authentically British sounding set of national values is that the Yanks have already nabbed most of the best lines.) But Lloyd is definitely onto something. Do leave your suggestions for improving on his opening lines in the comments.
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