Professional Britisher and Wannabe Scotsman says "England"

Having just condemned David Cameron, I would now like to offer some small praise - never let it be said that I am an attack blogger.

In his speech to the Scottish Conservative Party (or what's left of it) David Cameron did something quite remarkable, something that I don't think he would have done in a speech down in England. He referred specifically to England.

We had to change because when you have a state education system, after thirteen years of Labour government, that allows more boys from one English public school to get three A's at A-Level than all the poorest boys in England's state schools put together, who else is going to give them a chance?

This does, I think, offer a revealing insight into the Anglo-British psyche of the English Tory. Down in England they refer to British schools, British pupils and teachers, and even the British curriculum (even though no such thing exists). Yet when in Scotland they quite deliberately demonstrate that they understand devolution and refer correctly to England's schools. The use of 'Britain' instead of 'England' is what psychologists refer to as a demand characteristic, a subtle cue designed to influence the behaviour of the English (to instill a sense of Britishness perhaps).

As an Englishman I find it the denial of England extremely discourteous, and to a point anti-democratic because the use of Britain/Our country/This country in place of 'England' is an artifice designed to deceive (or at least not specify the territory under discussion). In 2001 David McCrone wrote that “In an important sense, Scotland’s politicians are all Nationalists”. Not just Scottish politicians. Even staunchly unionist politicians from England use a nationalist frame of reference when discussing Scotland. David Cameron falls over himself to talk about sticking up for Scotland and his respect for Scotland, and Unionist politicians of all persuasions talk of being proud Scots and wanting the best for Scotland. So why don't politicians do the same for England and encourage a positive English political identity?

It is difficult from Cameron's speech to understand whether he speaks as an Englishman or a Britisher. What exactly does he mean when he tells the Scots that the Tories will protect the "precious Union between our two countries". Is that England and Scotland, or Britain and Scotland?

It may seem like a daft question but parts of Cameron's speech read like the Union is between Scotland and Britain.

Yes, Alex Salmond and I have big differences. Yes, there's little he says that I agree with. Yes, I will fight him every inch of the way whenever he tries to break the precious Union between our countries. And no, I won't be bidding for one of his lunches.

But if we win that election, then I promise you this: I will be a Prime Minister who works tirelessly for the whole of the UK. We must repair the relationship between the British Government and the Scottish Government.

There is almost an air of defeat about that statement, something almost inevitable about the fact that British Government will not in any way be Scotland's government. For Cameron the British Government is England's government and the Scottish Government is Scotland's government, and he must work tirelessly to heal the rift between England and Scotland.

England is the unstated other, that part whose presence is not mention but is hinted at by reference to a Union

It will be good for Scotland, good for Britain and good for the Union.

We are then to take it that "It would be good for England" too; and that anyone who is doing a great job for Britain is also doing a great job for England? That's what Dave would like you to think.