"A citizen of the world is a citizen of nowhere." - Theresa May

[Syt]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/10/05/theresa-may-criticized-the-term-citizen-of-the-world-but-half-the-world-identifies-that-way/

Theresa May criticized the term 'citizen of the world.' But half the world identifies that way.

In defense of the Brexit decision she now must implement, British Prime Minister Theresa May said Sunday that no "divisive nationalists" would hold up the process of exiting the European Union, and she firmly asserted that all four of Britain's constituent "nations" — England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland — would Brexit together.

But the Brexit decision was fueled in many ways by nationalist sentiments, centering on perceived threats to Britain's sovereignty and many of its citizens' desires to prevent the supposed dilution of their national identity by immigrants crossing the European Union's open borders.

Just three days after her comment about "divisive nationalists," at her Conservative Party's annual conference, May espoused her own brand of nationalism — one that seems to encompass all of Britain, but excludes those who may feel as though they have multiple nationalities, or identities.

"Today, too many people in positions of power behave as though they have more in common with international elites than with the people down the road, the people they employ, the people they pass on the street," she said. "But if you believe you are a citizen of the world, you are a citizen of nowhere. You don't understand what citizenship means."

As it turns out, about half of the people "down the road" or whom one might "pass on the street" identify with the very phrase May disparaged — being a "citizen of the world" or global citizen.

In an 18-nation survey conducted by GlobeScan in conjunction with the BBC World Service that was released just over a month ago, 47 percent of Britons said they somewhat or strongly agreed that they considered themselves more as global citizens than citizens of the United Kingdom.

That number is just slightly below the 51 percent of all respondents who felt the same way. Below is a look at how respondents from each of the 18 surveyed countries responded. It is worth noting that "urban-only" samples were used in Brazil, China, Indonesia and Kenya.

The poll surveyed 20,000 people between December 2015 and April 2016, which coincides with the lead-up to the Brexit vote.

GlobeScan has been carrying out similar surveys since 2001, and this year marks the first time since then that a global majority leans toward "global citizenship." Strong upticks in feelings of global citizenship in developing countries — including Nigeria (73 percent, up 13 points), China (71 percent, up 14 points), Peru (70 percent, up 27 points) and India (67 percent, up 13 points) — were the biggest drivers of the increase.

Conversely, seven European countries in the survey have followed an opposite trajectory, dropping to a low of 39 percent in 2011 and remaining at low levels since (now at 42 percent), according to GlobeScan. It notes that this has been "particularly pronounced" in Germany, where identification with global citizenship as opposed to national identity has dropped 13 points since 2009 to 30 percent today (the lowest since 2001).

[Josquius]

At this rate I might just have a new favourite prime minister in a few years. Sorry Maggie.

[garbon]

Poor May.

[Eddie Teach]

Time for us to kick 43% of population to Canada. 

[garbon]

Also this was good. I can't wait to be listed.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-10-05/u-k-plan-to-make-companies-list-foreign-workers-faces-backlash

U.K. Plan to Make Companies List Foreign Workers Faces Backlash

U.K. Home Secretary Amber Rudd defended a series of policy proposals aimed at cutting the number of foreign workers at British companies after she was accused of stoking racism and anti-immigrant sentiment.

Under the plans announced at the Conservative Party conference, companies would have to list the non-U.K. nationals who work for them. Banks and landlords would also face sanctions if they fail to make checks on foreigners doing business with them.

"We mustn't ignore the fact that people do want to talk about immigration; if I want to talk about immigration, don't call me a racist," Rudd told BBC Radio 4 on Wednesday. "We should be able to have a conversation about immigration, about what skills we want to have in the U.K. and where we need to go to get them, in order to help business and boost our economy."

Lawmakers for the opposition Labour Party joined business leaders in criticizing Rudd over the plans, which she said are part of a review aimed at helping companies train local staff to reduce the dependence on workers from outside Britain. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt used his conference speech to announce plans to make the National Health Service "self sufficient" within a decade so that it no longer needs to rely on doctors from overseas.

'Nasty Party'

"Sorry, but no, we're not having this," Labour lawmaker Andy Burnham tweeted over a picture of the headline 'Firms Must List Foreign Workers' on the front page of Wednesday's Times newspaper. "This has been an unpleasant, xenophobic Tory Conference. Theresa May has presided over the return of the Nasty Party," he added in a further tweet.

Rudd on Tuesday reaffirmed the government's commitment to reduce net migration to "tens of thousands" as the U.K. heads for a future outside the European Union. It was a near-record 327,000 in the year through March.

"A lot of businesses would be saddened if they thought that having a global workforce was a mark of shame," Adam Marshall, acting director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, told the BBC. "I don't think they should be penalized for doing so when they have a specific skills need."

Rudd said the listing of workers is a proposal and would be part of a wider review of immigration regulations.

Prison Threat

"It's not something we're definitely going to do; it's one of the things we're going to use in the review," she said. "What we're saying to businesses is 'work with us to deliver what we need to have, which is a more skilled local labor force."'

Landlords who knowingly rent property to illegal immigrants could face prison, Rudd told Tory activists in Birmingham, central England, on Tuesday. Banks will also have to check their clients are allowed to be in the country. She said she's looking to toughen the conditions that companies have to meet before getting a visa for a foreign worker.

The plans were criticized by the Institute of Directors business lobby group, which said the target is "arbitrary" and has no connection to the skills needed by British businesses.

[Syt]

They're making a list and checking it twice, gonna find out who's Muslim or white. Conservatives are going to town.

[celedhring]

Given the state of Labour, is there a chance that the LibDems succeed on a platform of not being insane or racist?

Sad to see UK of all nations turning inward in these times. That's our shtick.

[Gups]

Given the state of Labour, is there a chance that the LibDems succeed on a platform of not being insane or racist?

We I joined them but they were pretty much crushed at the last election and aren't polling much better at the moment.

Although the (awful) Amber Rudd quotes make it sound as if the Tories have turned sharply to the right, my guess is that this is largely political posturing. Red meat to the brexit hordes to keep the party united while taking advantage of turmoil in UKIP to destroy them as a political force. I'd give good odds that these policy proposals are never made concrete. I hope so any way.

On non-immigration & non-education matters, May is sounding very one nation Tory, even left-wing.

[Agelastus]

Although the (awful) Amber Rudd...

Yes, for once we definitely agree on something. She's awful.

On non-immigration & non-education matters, May is sounding very one nation Tory, even left-wing.

Agreed; and even on education matters she's not sounding as right wing as grammar school opponents are making out.

She is, in fact, tacking too far to the left on several issues in her speeches for my comfort. It is a bit of a surprise given her record (I disagreed with her when she was at the Home Office mostly for her being too right wing.)

Which is the real "Theresa May"?

[Crazy_Ivan80]

On non-immigration & non-education matters, May is sounding very one nation Tory, even left-wing.

probably because the real base of the left is far less pro-migration than the caviar-layers remember. There's after all a reason why it's the lower tiers of society (i.e. those people who the left claims to represent) are making (or have made) the switch from traditional left-wing parties to parties with programs that limit migration (often called right-wing until one reads& the rest of their programme).

[Monoriu]

I don't understand why this argument matters.  So what if you are a citizen of the world or not?  Seems a meaningless label to me.  It doesn't grant me access to countries, the right to live and work elsewhere, welfare etc.  Are there any serious implications?

[celedhring]

I don't understand why this argument matters.  So what if you are a citizen of the world or not?  Seems a meaningless label to me.  It doesn't grant me access to countries, the right to live and work elsewhere, welfare etc.  Are there any serious implications?

I heard that "nowhere" has a pretty low tax burden.

[Richard Hakluyt]

I notice that only 4% of Germans "strongly agree" even though they are really quite an outward-looking people in many ways. I think that is because they have thought about the question rather than indulging in wishy-washy feelings. It is the country that provides its citizens with healthcare, pensions, protection etc., one can love and admire certain foreign countries but short of emigrating there they are not going to provide one with those things. Maybe that is why so many Nigerians regard themselves as citizens of the world, given that their country provides them with bugger-all.

[celedhring]

I notice that only 4% of Germans "strongly agree" even though they are really quite an outward-looking people in many ways. I think that is because they have thought about the question rather than indulging in wishy-washy feelings. It is the country that provides its citizens with healthcare, pensions, protection etc., one can love and admire certain foreign countries but short of emigrating there they are not going to provide one with those things. Maybe that is why so many Nigerians regard themselves as citizens of the world, given that their country provides them with bugger-all.

That reasoning makes the Russians the most level-headed of them all, then.

[Josquius]

I don't understand why this argument matters.  So what if you are a citizen of the world or not?  Seems a meaningless label to me.  It doesn't grant me access to countries, the right to live and work elsewhere, welfare etc.  Are there any serious implications?

Not yet.
The more people start thinking that way though the less we will be prisoners in the place where we happened to be born and the less toxic "don't blame the government who are making your lives miserable for your problems. Blame those nasty people who have the cheek to be foreign" will work.