The Student Room Group

Is the North of England a different country?

I'm from Cambridge, I can go to Essex, Herts, London and feel although I don't live there, I kind of belong, it's tangibly part of the same structure. When I go to Manchester, Sheffield area, probably as much as Scotland, I feel that I'd be an outsider that would have to learn norms, respect something I wasn't raised in, In short I am somewhat foreign, maybe not in official capacity, but it is as foreign as anglicised Wales, Cardiff, Edinburgh, etc. Maybe even moreso. It's it's own place with it's own drumbeat it marches too, and somehow the instinctual, latent possibility of greater autonomy and independence, almost like destiny, that starts from the psyche and the mysteries of geography even before the practicalities. Maybe the 'innate' dividing lines are North/South first, then East /West. I was thinking of this with all the talk of federalism, which I support. I agree certainly with those Cornish people who say they its not really England, they could well be Cornish and British I believe.

I think it's time for a federal Britain that unites us, rather than Scottish and Welsh nationalism and an enforced and contrived English nationalism. There isn't really one England, I agree with this interesting article;

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/10/snp-english-national-identity-class-cultural-divide

But there was Britishness, it comprised the commonwealth as well, it was a deep rooted set of sensibilities.

I also think a federal Britain that struck the right balance between a British and regional identities would be more economically competitive, thriving, democratic, and hopeful place, and a more united one ironically enough, far moreso than under forced centralisation.

Anyway just some open minded thoughts, I'd be interested to hear some rationalists and/or dreamers, or pragmatists, although it will inevitably be along with the usual barrage of tedious, often privately educated, deeply conservative, leaden minded empiricists who bristle with rage about a mere discussion of anything that doesn't have stagnancy and 'preservation'(of everything, unconditionally) written all over it.

Hmm nice footnote.


Edit-final thought-
'Northern England' is definitely more foreign from 'England' than 'Northern Ireland' is from Ireland.

Spiritually.
(edited 8 years ago)

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
You Southerners and your....clean air and non post industrial city ****holes.
This is an interesting thread and someone interesting should be interested by it.
Reply 3
I'm from the north and have frequently visited the south and, indeed, all corners of the UK. I have never once felt like it's a different country.

I'd suggest the difference is more to do with your insecurities than anything else.
I'm northern, and I'd say it's less of a different country than just a different way of living. I know a lot of people up here feel neglected by the government in favour of London, for example, and so the difference in support for the North sets us apart. When I've been down South, it feels like the same country, just a less friendly version!

Posted from TSR Mobile
Yes. We're aliens up here, basically. I think we should take a leaf out of Game of Thrones and resurrect a huge wall dividing the North and South.
Original post by boods8897
I'm northern, and I'd say it's less of a different country than just a different way of living. I know a lot of people up here feel neglected by the government in favour of London, for example, and so the difference in support for the North sets us apart. When I've been down South, it feels like the same country, just a less friendly version!

Posted from TSR Mobile


As a Northerner, I couldn't agree with this more. In the North I can greet strangers and talk with my neighbors. When i visit my Nan down south, people look at me like I'm scum for talking to them.

Some times I LIKE to believe we're our own place, our own country with our own identity, but that's because it always feels like England is about the south. Or London to be more specific. Capital or not, it feels unsettling to see so much focus on that area as if the rest of the country is just an unwanted growth on it.

However, come the world cup or any national event for that matter, you'll see English flags all over here. Even when those petitions for the North to leave England were floating around, almost everyone I knew felt like despite the elitism of the country, we were English and that was the end of it.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Drewski
I'm from the north and have frequently visited the south and, indeed, all corners of the UK. I have never once felt like it's a different country.

I'd suggest the difference is more to do with your insecurities than anything else.


Nothing to do with insecurities. We all can recognise degrees of foreigness and feeling at home. I'm saying, having left where I'm from to Mainland Europe, then Wales, Scotland and northern England- Northern England, in terms of feel as different from the south-east near London, (north/east of it in my case) is as different as anglicised Wales and Scotland, and I'd even suggest that excluding language Northern France, ie Paris and Normandy, have more in common with London and Kent.
Nah we're all the same on this island when it comes to important stuff(and also Australia, NZ and Ireland tbh)

Stick guys from Watford, Leeds, Inverness and Dublin in a room with an American, Russian, Japanese, and a Frenchman and tell me the sensibilities and general culture between the first 4 and last 4 are not as clear as day and night.
I come from Essex and go uni down south too. I've been to my friends uni up north, and it does feel very different. The people are just very different to us southerners for some reason.
Original post by boods8897
I'm northern, and I'd say it's less of a different country than just a different way of living. I know a lot of people up here feel neglected by the government in favour of London, for example, and so the difference in support for the North sets us apart. When I've been down South, it feels like the same country, just a less friendly version!

Posted from TSR Mobile


No they are different in terms of intellectual terms. Time after time the northern sheep continue to vote Labour thinking their area will no longer be a **** hole more so than it already is.

Do people up north not wonder why every Labour constituency has high crime, poor education standards and the areas feel and look like pure ****? Did ever consider Labour might thrive on this? Labour require people to be poorer for support so they will continue to destroy the North
:rofl:

I live near the Peak district. That's sheep country alright. Spent yesterday putting up fencing to stop those dam sheep climbiong over walls. Wales gets an unfair rep for being half sheep :ninja:

Original post by The two eds
No they are different in terms of intellectual terms. Time after time the northern sheep continue to vote Labour thinking their area will no longer be a **** hole more so than it already is.

Do people up north not wonder why every Labour constituency has high crime, poor education standards and the areas feel and look like pure ****? Did ever consider Labour might thrive on this? Labour require people to be poorer for support so they will continue to destroy the North


What a knob.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by ChaoticButterfly
:rofl:

I live near the Peak district. That's sheep country alright. Spent yesterday putting up fencing to stop those dam sheep climbiong over walls. Wales gets an unfair rep for being half sheep :ninja:



What a knob.


Well it's true. The correlation between the North being both a **** hole and Labour's heartland can not be ignored. I do not expect you to acknowledge that considering you know
Original post by SaucissonSecCy
Nothing to do with insecurities. We all can recognise degrees of foreigness and feeling at home. I'm saying, having left where I'm from to Mainland Europe, then Wales, Scotland and northern England- Northern England, in terms of feel as different from the south-east near London, (north/east of it in my case) is as different as anglicised Wales and Scotland, and I'd even suggest that excluding language Northern France, ie Paris and Normandy, have more in common with London and Kent.


My impression, which is formed from traveling all over this country, Europe and the world, is that this tiny island - because it is tiny, anyone saying otherwise needs to get out more - is incredibly insular with very few real differences.

The only major thing people will note that's different across the regions is the accent.
Original post by battycatlady
Yes. We're aliens up here, basically. I think we should take a leaf out of Game of Thrones and resurrect a huge wall dividing the North and South.


Nah. North England is more like Stark land. We are ruled by a noble just house but are forced to comply with a corrupt greedy Kings Landing, woops, I mean London. The scots were just people who found themselves on the other side of the wall and have thus become savages. BUT THEY KNEEL TO NO ONE :colonhash:
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by The two eds
Well it's true. The correlation between the North being both a **** hole and Labour's heartland can not be ignored. I do not expect you to acknowledge that considering you know


Again, kindly **** off. You're just a clueless prejudiced dick.
I would say that the North is friendlier and more down-to-Earth. I've holidayed up and down the country, from Cornwall to Devon to London to Northumberland. The North is definitely friendlier. I think the South can be a little precious. :mmm:
If Northern England seems as alien to you as Cornwall, Wales, and Scotland, wouldn't it make better sense to ask whether the South of England is 'a different country'?
Reply 18
Original post by Skyy9432
Some times I LIKE to believe we're our own place, our own country with our own identity, but that's because it always feels like England is about the south. Or London to be more specific. Capital or not, it feels unsettling to see so much focus on that area as if the rest of the country is just an unwanted growth on it.


When I think of England, I don't much think of London - at least, nothing beyond Westminster, St Paul's and the Tower. England, in my mind, evokes images of country lanes, thatched cottages, village greens, mills, great country houses, neatly-formed fields, sea-side towns and the Lake District.

That's probably Victorian sentimentalism, but there is a great deal of English identity attached to its rural communities rather than its urban ones.
All you Northerners saying us Southerners aren't friendly :frown:

Quick Reply