British Values
British values. What are they? There is of course a history of politics and culture, but those politics and cultures have always been contested or negotiated, there have been politics and cultures, which have competed, not seen eye to eye, had different views. The religious, the agnostics, the right, the left, welfare spending or not, the progressive, the conservative, United or City, unionists and separatists. British values include all of these things. British values in this sense, are all about choices, about whatever it is that British people want to become, be and choose.
The one consistent thing, arguably, that remains consistent is the liberal democratic state, institutions and practices, in which all of these other values are chosen, negotiated and contested. This means parliamentary elections, freedom of speech and a free media. Perhaps other things that I have forgotten about.
OK so there is an official government definition of British values. Prevent describes British values as democracy, rule of law, equality of opportunity, freedom of speech and the rights of all men and women to live free from persecution of any kind. Sounds reasonable to me. Extremism is defined as vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. We also include in our definition of extremism calls for the death of members of our armed forces, whether in this country or overseas. (see here)
But the point is, within the context of British values, or freedom of speech and democracy, tolerance of different faiths and beliefs, it is clear that the right to engage in different religions, faiths and views, opinions and beliefs, is a right, if not a responsibility of British citizens. Identity politics is a product of the choice and personal autonomy that having a right to freedom of speech and democracy, enables and values (point made here). Badenoch in the Tory party says she ‘hates identify politics’ but why, don’t people have the right to freedom of expression and association, and to create social identities in whichever manner they want to?