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| How the World Cup made people 'a bit more English' | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Could England's unexpected football success in the World Cup have had a small but significant impact on feelings of Englishness? | Could England's unexpected football success in the World Cup have had a small but significant impact on feelings of Englishness? |
| Since England reached the semi-finals for the first time in 28 years under manager Gareth Southgate, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of people - especially young people - saying they are proud to be English. | Since England reached the semi-finals for the first time in 28 years under manager Gareth Southgate, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of people - especially young people - saying they are proud to be English. |
| Across all age groups, backgrounds and different regions of England, there has been an increase in those identifying "very strongly" as English, from 54% to 58%. Among those aged 18-24, the increase was slightly more - rising from 46% to 51%. | Across all age groups, backgrounds and different regions of England, there has been an increase in those identifying "very strongly" as English, from 54% to 58%. Among those aged 18-24, the increase was slightly more - rising from 46% to 51%. |
| More people were also keen to emphasise their English identity and to be proud of it. | More people were also keen to emphasise their English identity and to be proud of it. |
| These are the findings of a survey of 1,600 people the Centre for English Identity and Politics at Winchester University commissioned from polling organisation YouGov. | These are the findings of a survey of 1,600 people the Centre for English Identity and Politics at Winchester University commissioned from polling organisation YouGov. |
| Interviews were carried out on Sunday 15 and Monday 16 July, just after England lost their third-place play-off match against Belgium. | Interviews were carried out on Sunday 15 and Monday 16 July, just after England lost their third-place play-off match against Belgium. |
| The survey repeated questions put to 20,000 people in a BBC/YouGov survey in March 2018. | The survey repeated questions put to 20,000 people in a BBC/YouGov survey in March 2018. |
| To avoid prompting unconscious bias - and to allow comparison between the two surveys - identical questions were asked, which made no mention of football or the World Cup. | To avoid prompting unconscious bias - and to allow comparison between the two surveys - identical questions were asked, which made no mention of football or the World Cup. |
| That original research found that fewer than six in 10 felt proud to be English. | That original research found that fewer than six in 10 felt proud to be English. |
| Pride in identifying as English was weaker among the young (45%) and stronger among the old (72%). | Pride in identifying as English was weaker among the young (45%) and stronger among the old (72%). |
| Roughly one person in 10 surveyed in March said they would be embarrassed to describe themselves as English. | Roughly one person in 10 surveyed in March said they would be embarrassed to describe themselves as English. |
| This latest poll found an overall increase in those who said they were "very proud" to be English, from 36% to 40%. | This latest poll found an overall increase in those who said they were "very proud" to be English, from 36% to 40%. |
| The proportion who were either "very" or "fairly" proud rose from 57% to 61%. | The proportion who were either "very" or "fairly" proud rose from 57% to 61%. |
| Again, the survey found a greater increase among 18-24-year-olds - 27% were "very proud" to be English, up from 21% in March. | Again, the survey found a greater increase among 18-24-year-olds - 27% were "very proud" to be English, up from 21% in March. |
| Those in this age group who were either "very" or "fairly" proud rose from 45% to 52%. | Those in this age group who were either "very" or "fairly" proud rose from 45% to 52%. |
| The proportion of middle-class respondents feeling "very strongly" English increased from 48% to 53%, slightly more than the change for working-class participants (62% to 65%). | The proportion of middle-class respondents feeling "very strongly" English increased from 48% to 53%, slightly more than the change for working-class participants (62% to 65%). |
| And, in one of the biggest changes, those living in London - shown by the earlier BBC poll to be the least "English"-feeling part of England - saw an increase in those describing themselves as "strongly English" from 39% to 51%. | And, in one of the biggest changes, those living in London - shown by the earlier BBC poll to be the least "English"-feeling part of England - saw an increase in those describing themselves as "strongly English" from 39% to 51%. |
| Given the sample size and the volatility that is normal with identity surveys, we shouldn't place too much weight on individual increases. | Given the sample size and the volatility that is normal with identity surveys, we shouldn't place too much weight on individual increases. |
| The significance of the results lies more in the consistency with which association with English identity rose across different questions and different measures of Englishness. | The significance of the results lies more in the consistency with which association with English identity rose across different questions and different measures of Englishness. |
| Of course, we cannot be certain that any of these changes are due to the England team's performance in the World Cup. | Of course, we cannot be certain that any of these changes are due to the England team's performance in the World Cup. |
| But more than 25 million people shared the collective experience of watching the semi-final against Croatia, an event focused on England rather than Britain. | But more than 25 million people shared the collective experience of watching the semi-final against Croatia, an event focused on England rather than Britain. |
| And much of the media reported Southgate's remarks about the team representing a modern diverse English identity. | And much of the media reported Southgate's remarks about the team representing a modern diverse English identity. |
| So, it does seem more likely that football rather than, say, the sunny weather or parliamentary debates on Brexit, could have had this impact. | So, it does seem more likely that football rather than, say, the sunny weather or parliamentary debates on Brexit, could have had this impact. |
| You may also be interested in: | You may also be interested in: |
| Do England play better in white or red? | Do England play better in white or red? |
| Where are the UK's youngest and oldest city populations? | Where are the UK's youngest and oldest city populations? |
| The UK's rapidly changing mixed-race population | The UK's rapidly changing mixed-race population |
| Have adults ruined children's sport? | Have adults ruined children's sport? |
| Whether this will prove to be a temporary blip or something more long-lasting remains to be seen. | Whether this will prove to be a temporary blip or something more long-lasting remains to be seen. |
| Sharpened English identity has been reported before, not least at the time of debates about Scottish devolution and independence. | Sharpened English identity has been reported before, not least at the time of debates about Scottish devolution and independence. |
| Sport alone cannot carry all the burden of defining or sustaining national identity. | Sport alone cannot carry all the burden of defining or sustaining national identity. |
| So, while success in the 2019 Fifa Women's World Cup or Euro 2020 might help, more important will be the extent to which this new-found confidence in an inclusive English identity is reflected more widely across society. | So, while success in the 2019 Fifa Women's World Cup or Euro 2020 might help, more important will be the extent to which this new-found confidence in an inclusive English identity is reflected more widely across society. |
| About this piece | About this piece |
| This analysis piece was commissioned by the BBC from an expert working for an outside organisation. | This analysis piece was commissioned by the BBC from an expert working for an outside organisation. |
| Former Labour cabinet minister John Denham is professor of knowledge exchange and director of Winchester University's Centre for English Identity and Politics (CEIP). | Former Labour cabinet minister John Denham is professor of knowledge exchange and director of Winchester University's Centre for English Identity and Politics (CEIP). |
| Edited by Jennifer Clarke | Edited by Jennifer Clarke |