The UK is a confused nation when it comes to national identity,especially in relation to major sporting events.Commentators proudly refer to the country's internationally successful sportspeople as'English' if they come specifically from England. Welsh and Scottish athletes,however,are usually given the general label 'British' without any recognition of their individual homelands. But it's when the countries compete individually,especially against each other, that the idea of a 'united kingdom' becomes completely lost. At football and rugby matches there has been a strong revival of the individual flags,song and symbols of England,Scotland and Wales and there often isn't a
*Union Jack to be seen. Away from the sports
*pith, the national saints'days of ST David in Wales and ST Andrew in Scotland are starting to be marked with large celebrations in the same way that St Patrick's Day has always been celebrated in Ireland. And the flag of St George can be seen in England on public buildings and churches where the Union Jack used to be. With Scotland and Wales now having their own parliaments, there is even extreme talk of an 'English Independence Movement' , and some people are wondering if the United Kingdom will last into the next century.