Polling by More in Common shows that the overwhelming majority of English people  – across ethnic groups, education levels, ages and politics – agree that race and ethnic background is no barrier to being English. 

Recent debates about the nature of Englishness have triggered a media conversation around what it means to be English, and crucially who can call themselves English.

More in Common’s new polling found that three quarters (74 per cent) of English people believe that someone can be English regardless of their skin colour or ethnic background. Only 17 per cent say these factors are important to English identity, while 9 per cent are unsure.

This view also extends to religion: one in ten think that religion factors into whether someone can be considered English.

Nearly 8 in 10 (79 per cent) say that someone can be English regardless of their religion, a conviction shared by both religious and non-religious people.

This inclusive understanding of the English identity is one that spans across many of the country’s divides.

More in Common found that majorities across age groups, ethnic backgrounds and education levels agree that non-white British citizens can be just as English as other English people.

That agreement spans the political divide too, beyond parties of the left like Labour and the Liberal Democrats, and including clear majorities of those who support parties of the right such as the Conservatives or Reform UK.