Life in Lockdown – What Makes Us Proud to be British?

What have the NHS, Joe Wicks, the Beatles, pubs, Marmite and a stiff upper lip all got in common? 

Apparently they’re some of the top things that make us proud to be British. Okay, not everybody is proud to be British all of the time, we get that. But most of us probably have our moments  – especially now. In fact, a new nationwide survey has found that 87% of Brits say that, despite everything that’s going on right now, they’re proud to be British.

When it comes to exactly what it is that makes us proud to be Brits, you’ll be pleased to know the NHS tops the table, and quite rightly so, with 71% of 2,000 people surveyed putting it top of the list.

Next up are some of our nation’s most popular foods – fish and chips second at 58% and the Full English third at 52%  – maybe because we’ve been faced with the prospect of not getting them quite as easily as usual.

The Queen was in fourth place when it came to reasons we’re proud to be British, with 48% of people surveyed saying the monarch made them proud to be British, while the British countryside and Big Ben followed, both at 44%.

Joe Wicks’ efforts to keep parents sane and children fit with his daily online PE workouts have paid off, as he also made it onto the list with 22% of the vote, while Chancellor Rishi Sunak also appears to have won our hearts with 20%. 

Pubs also make the list, as do roast beef, tea, Sir David Attenborough and the Victoria Sponge, while William Shakespeare, Only Fools and Horses, the Beatles and The Rolling Stones also feature. 

Online polling firm Perspectus Global commissioned the survey of 2,000 British adults. Head of Research David Arnold said “We were delighted, but not surprised to see the heroes of the NHS being recognised for the incredible work they do and are doing at the moment.

“It was also interested to see how many of our favourite foods came high in the list, perhaps showing how our favourite meals are getting us through the current lockdown.

“Overall, our poll shows as many as 87% of Brits are proud to be British, which is testament to the resilience of the nation.”

Here are the top 50 things which make us feel proud to be British:-

1. The NHS   71%
2.  Fish and chips   58%
3. The full English breakfast 52%
4.  The Queen   48%
5.  The British countryside  44%
6.  Big Ben    44%
7.  Roast beef   42%
8.  Tea    42%
9.  Sir David Attenborough  38%
10.  Pubs    37%
11.  William Shakespeare   34%
12.  Only Fools and Horses  32%
13.  Kindness   31%
14.  Sarcasm   30%
15.  The Beatles   30%
16.  James Bond   28%
17.  Cream teas   27%
18.  The Victoria Sponge cake 27%
19.  JK Rowling   27%
20.  Pie and mash   27%
21.  Florence Nightingale  27%
22.  Stonehenge   26%
23.  Charles Dickens  26%
24.  Stephen Hawking  26%
25.  Cornish pasties   25%
26.  Joe Wicks   22%
27.  Neighbourly spirit  22%
28.  Paddington Bear  22%
29. Rishi Sunak   20%
30.  Jane Austen   20%
31.  The Duchess of Cambridge 19%
32.  David Bowie   19%
33.  The Blitz spirit   19%
34.  Monty Python   18%
35.  The Rolling Stones  18%
36.  A stiff upper lip   17%
37.  The changing guards  17%
38.  Dame Judi Dench  17%
39.  Stephen Fry   16%
40.  Sir Michael Caine  16%
41.  JRR Tolkien   16%
42.  Chicken Tikka Masala  15%
43.  Marmite   15%
44.  CS Lewis   15%
45.  Absolutely Fabulous  13%
46.  Jamie Oliver   13%
47.  Marmalade   12%
48.  Dame Helen Mirren  12%
49.  The Clifton Suspension Bridge 11%
50. The houses of parliament 11%