For most voters, the summer was defined by the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the phenomenal achievements of British competitors. Yet, like most things in public life, the Games were not free of political implications.
For many, the success of the British athletes vindicated the whole concept of ‘Britishness’. As such, it seemed to represent a reversal of the trend that stressed ‘Scottishness‘, ‘Welshness’ and ‘Englishness’, which arguably dated from the devolution settlements of 1998. It accordingly revived the idea that ‘Britain’ was not just a constitutional construct, but a cultural reality with huge popular appeal. During last summer, this notion was further rekindled by the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Far from being a festival of nostalgia, the Jubilee advertised a quintessentially modern, and infinitely diverse, nation-state that somehow accommodated a range of cultures, races and identities.
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