Patriotism can't Make Britain Great, Theos tells Brown

Only one in seven Brits is happy with the way society is at present and nearly seven out of ten (68 per cent) want it to be more "neighbourly", according to new research published today by Theos, the public theology think tank.

Meanwhile, only 16 per cent of people want to live in a more patriotic society.

According to the CommunicateResearch poll, 54 per cent think that Prime Minister Gordon Brown is on the right track and that there needs to be greater willingness to celebrate Britain and its achievements but 43 per cent of people believe that the US offers a poor model of patriotism which Britain would do well not to follow.

The publication of the poll comes as Brown makes his first visit to the US since becoming Prime Minister and coincides with the launch of a new Theos report entitled 'Red, White, Blue... and Brown: Citizens, Patriots and the Prime Minister'.

The report analyses Brown's use of patriotic rhetoric, his understanding of national identity and his vision for citizenship.

It identifies two major strands in his thinking - the 'national' and the 'neighbourly' - and argues that it is the second of these that is key to building a strong and healthy civil society.

Commenting on the report, Paul Woolley, Director of Theos said: "Commitment to the basic civic values of the state is essential if we are to live together in peace. In that regard patriotism is important and we welcome its recent return to the political agenda.

"But patriotism is not a cure-all. We are asking too much of it if we expect it alone to build active and engaged citizens."

He said Britain needed to "move beyond patriotism" in order to foster social cohesion and civic engagement.

The Red, White, Blue... and Brown report, meanwhile, argues that Britain needs to adopt a "neighbourly" model for citizenship and the polling data appears to support that view.

"This is not to ignore the important role that the nation plays in civic life but, rather, to put it in its proper place," said Mr Woolley.

"Ultimately it is good neighbours, not good patriots, who make the best citizens. This presents faith communities in the UK with a real opportunity."