The funny thing about being English…

The national identity of England is the subject of the latest poll by Gallup, and in the finest of English traditions it has thrown up more than a couple of odd trends about what it is to be English.

Confusion still reins, it would seem, with 73 per cent of English-born people believing themselves to be more British than English. The London born Bob Hope, who is regarded by many as the bastion of American comedy, is still regarded as English by more than 40 per cent of the country.

And not even royalty can buy you a ticket. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, who was born in London, is seen by the English public as less English than Lenny Henry.

It sounds like comedy is a primary characteristic of Englishness then.