Key facts
- Hard work, fair play, and community are the core values Britons identify with, regardless of age, demographic, or political affiliation.
- A large majority of Britons (over 65%) feel the country is more divided than ever.
- Only 27% of those polled believe the royal family plays a significant role in upholding British values.
- 70% of the public associate hard work with British values, while 80% believe Britain is at its best when neighbours support each other.
- Immigration is a divisive issue, with 50% of respondents stating it has had a negative impact on the UK.
- Positive messaging around shared values is more effective than focusing on grievances or a sense of loss.
A large-scale study by Public First has found that Britons, across all ages, demographics, and political groups, share a consensus on core values, primarily identifying hard work, fair play, and community as fundamental to being British. Despite this agreement on underlying principles, the research highlights a deep-seated pessimism regarding national unity, with over 65% of respondents feeling that Britain is more divided than ever.
The study, which polled 6,000 adults and included focus groups, revealed that 'hard-working' was cited by 70% of people as a key British value, while 80% agreed that Britain functions best when communities support one another. The concept of 'fairness,' including queueing and waiting one's turn, emerged as a clear shared value, with citizens referencing the NHS and equal treatment as examples of British life at its best.
However, the report also exposed significant divisions, particularly concerning immigration, which half of respondents felt had a negative impact on the UK. Sunder Katwala, director of British Future, noted that people are increasingly 'discomfited by how divided we feel,' suggesting that politicians often appeal to their base with divisive language in a fragmented political landscape.
Advisers to politicians like Andy Burnham, who is undertaking a 'listening' tour, may find encouragement in the report's findings that positive framing of British values, rather than focusing on grievances, is more effective. 'The values that unite us haven’t disappeared but no one is speaking to them,' stated Olivia Walsham, director of social policy at Public First. She suggested that politicians should acknowledge everyday values like fairness, hard work, and community to foster a hopeful, shared patriotism.
Trevor Pears, chair of the Pears Foundation, which funded the research, emphasized the public's desire for more initiatives that bring people together and strengthen communities, citing examples like the Big Lunch and Big Help Out projects.