Only four-in-ten young Britons say they are proud of their country, a damning new poll has revealed.
The Times and YouGov study shows just 41 per cent of those aged between 18 and 27 feel pride in being British – less than half the figure recorded when similar research was conducted two decades ago.
In 2004, 80 per cent of young people expressed pride in their British identity.
The comprehensive study, examining the views and beliefs of Generation Z adults, has uncovered what researchers describe as a “deep erosion of faith in Britain” among young people.
Just 41% of those aged 18-27 feel pride in being British
GETTY
Only 15 per cent of Gen Z believe the country is united, compared to nearly 60 per cent who held this view in 2004.
Half of Generation Z believe Britain is a racist country, with 48 per cent of 18 to 27-year-olds holding this view according to the research.
The study also revealed that 50 per cent of young adults think the UK is stuck in the past.
Perhaps most strikingly, only 11 per cent of Gen Z said they would fight for Britain, while 41 per cent stated there were no circumstances at all in which they would take up arms for their country.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
- Net zero £2bn development with napping pods and breathwork classes aims to lure Gen Z workers to the office
- Andrew Gwynne: Labour faces pressure to sack SECOND MP over ‘vile’ WhatsApp chat after series of ‘sexist and racist messages’ exposed
- Nigel Farage: Britain is in much deeper trouble than many care to admit
Only 11% of Gen Z said they would fight for Britain
GETTY
This marks a significant decline from 2004, when 22 per cent of young people said they would fight for their country, and 57 per cent said they would fight if they agreed with the reasons for war.
The findings paint a picture of a generation increasingly disconnected from traditional patriotic values and national institutions.
Summer Nesbeth, a 23-year-old model and journalism student from Nottingham, explained her reluctance to fight for Britain, saying: “Why would I help you, if you don’t want to really help me, and half the time you want to get rid of me?”
Half-Indian and half-Jamaican, Nesbeth described experiencing systemic racism firsthand, including being stopped and searched in stores.
“I think it’s wrong and delusional to think that this isn’t a racist country,” she said
PA
“I think it’s wrong and delusional to think that this isn’t a racist country,” she said. “We don’t learn about black history but we were built on racism.”
Charlie Sawyer, 25, shared similar views, adding: “If you’re not willing to recognise how as a society we still contribute to systemic racism, casual racism, I don’t think that there’s going to be any progress there.”
Uthman Odusote, 22, a support worker in south London, suggested racism today was more covert, describing it as “a tool that has been consistently utilised and weaponised to divide us.”
The findings reveal a stark contrast with older generations’ views of Britain, with more than half of those aged 50 to 64 expressing pride in being British, rising to 70 per cent among those aged 65 and above.
Bobby Duffy, director of the Policy Institute at King’s College London, attributes young people’s disillusionment to their economic inheritance and cultural divisions
GETTY
Only 26 per cent of over-65s consider Britain to be a racist country, compared to the 48 per cent of Gen Z who hold this view.
There are similarly wide gaps in perceptions of tolerance. While 47 per cent of Gen Z view Britain as tolerant, this rises to 68 per cent among those aged 50 to 64 and 74 per cent among pensioners.
Bobby Duffy, director of the Policy Institute at King’s College London, attributes young people’s disillusionment to their economic inheritance and cultural divisions.
“This is a generation that has struggled with wage stagnation and found it far harder to accumulate wealth,” he said.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage blamed a “broken” education system
NIGEL FARAGE
Military and political leaders have described the findings as a “wake-up call” for British society.
General Sir Patrick Sanders, who headed the British Army until June 2024, warned: “If we aren’t prepared to fight for our freedom and way of life as we have always done, then we will become prey in a world of predators.”
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called the findings “very worrying” and rejected the perception of racism. “It is particularly shocking that so many young people think Britain is a racist country. It is absolutely not the case,” she said.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage blamed a “broken” education system, saying: “I think the education system is willfully poisoning the minds of all of our young people, about who we are as a country, our history, what we stand for. The whole thing is an absolute disgrace.”
Kemi Badenoch called the findings “very worrying”
PA
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey emphasised the need for change: “We need to transform our politics and get our economy back on track, to give [young people] real hope for the future and a sense of pride in our great country.”
Gen Z’s disillusionment extends to key British institutions, with particularly low trust in law enforcement.
Only 11 per cent of those aged 18 to 27 would trust the police “a lot” if they were crime victims, dropping to seven per cent if accused of a crime. A third would not trust the police at all, with young men showing even less confidence than women.
Even the NHS, traditionally Britain’s most trusted institution, has seen waning support among young people.
Just 48 per cent would place significant trust in the NHS for treatment, while seven per cent express no trust at all.
Catherine Roper, chief constable of Wiltshire Police, called the findings “awful,” warning: “If we are not trusted, then people will not pick up the phone and allow us to help them, or provide us with information that can help us police effectively.”