Is there cultural differences between the 4 countries of the UK?

Sadly, I think the culture is becoming more and more different in Scotland and England. I don't know how to describe it but I feel it (my brother lives down south and his attitude towards some things is definitely shaped by where he lives).

In the US there are cultural differences between all 50 states. Surely there would be differences between different countries.

The 1707 union was popular in Scotland because it gave Scots access to the English Empire (after the Darien Venture failed spectacularly). You just need to walk round Glasgow city centre to see how enthusiastic the Scots were about Empire, 62 street names are linked to slavery. Some are obvious because they are named after colonies: Jamacia Street, Tobago Street, Virginia Street & Place, Kingston. Others are named after the 'Tobacco Lords', e.g. Buchanan Street (for those who don't know Glasgow Buchanan Street is the most prestigious shopping street in the city and Scotland), Cochrane Street, Glassford Street.

Here

www.nls.uk/collections/scotland-and-the-slave-trade/involvement/

Scotland was involved in the slave trade.

The Scot’s vote for theSNP though who are terrible. We are taxed to the hilt for an appalling education system and an NHS where you are 100 times more likely to be waiting 2 years for an operation than in England. Scotland could be such a great country with a halfway competent government.

Oh but there are a significant number that do.

Absolutely.

I split my time between Scotland and London for work and notice massive cultural differences.

i also find differences in different areas of England when visiting relatives.

generally I find I have more in common culturally with people from Northern Ireland than England.

i don’t know enough Welsh people to
comment on that.

Biggest difference?

We don't vote for nutters like Johnson or Farage.

If you live in London or places with lots of jobs, people are often a total mix of cultures. I’m part Irish, part French and part English. I can’t think of a single person from my work or from my friends who only has English heritage.

Actually, there is now evidence that the Border areas may have been Old Welsh speaking & part of that diaspora.

The book Men of the North is good.

The Celtic Nations are generally more politically left leaning, pro-European & less pro-UK than their Anglo-Saxon neighbours.

The English are also more pro-Royalty & celebrate things like Jubilees more.

I am Scottish and grew up there but have now lived longer in England than Scotland.

I now live in the North East of England very close to the Scottish border and think there are a lot more similarities between there and Scotland than London (where I have also lived) and Scotland. I was quite tickled to see "Bairns" as the description of the baby aisle in Asda in Byker.

I definitely class myself as Scottish first and British second.

Also, as far as the empire is concerned, my Scottish grandfather was an engineer in China and my Scottish uncle was a tea planter in what was then East Pakistan so the Scots were definitely involved.

Yes there definitely are differences but also many similarities. Scots in particular have always moved around although I find that in many cases they do end up back in Scotland. As others have said there are also regional differences within the various nations. I was born in the far north of Scotland and when we moved to the central belt the differences were quite marked although that may also have been because of moving from an incredibly rural setting to a city.

I feel that - while we have culture in common with the other parts of the UK - we have a very very specific culture that people who didn't grow up here cannot truly understand.

I think that’s true, there are things I do as a matter of course that are more cultural than I realise until I realise it’s not the done thing in other parts of the UK. There are similarities between the 4 nations and cross overs in culture but the are some clear differences too that are difficult to articulate unless you’ve grown up with them.

Yes there are cultural differences from what I've seen - lived in two visted one and know people from 4th- but there are within regions of England I've also lived in.

I think the differences in schooling, law, and national government controlled services make it easier to see it between the countries.

We are a melting pot of cultures but tbh I think those that insist on cultural differences between political border lines are ignorant as to our actual history.

A lowland Scot has far more in common with a Northumbrian linguistically, genetically etc..than a highlander for example. And that's to be expected given different invasions in different parts of the country. The western highlands are more Gaelic/Irish because of the Gaels. The east is more Germanic/Norse because of the Angles and Vikings. Scots is a Germanic language not Celtic.

I'm Northern Irish (visit Scotland regularly, have lived in England, not visited Wales to date) and I feel that - while we have culture in common with the other parts of the UK - we have a very very specific culture that people who didn't grow up here cannot truly understand.

Indeed

There are more people of Celtic ancestry in England than Scotland.

A signifcant percentage of Scots are Germanic too just like the English.

I am too and 1 and 8 are only partly true.

No one is telling you aren't allowed to be English. You are imagining your own persecution.

Exactly, we are not allowed to be English because we just get abuse.

I do think the poster has a point that being proudly English is looked at (wrongly) askance, as though you must be a jingoistic thug. I think it's much more acceptable to be ashamed of being English and to focus on the negative history than to be proud of the good, in a way that's not true for Scotland, Wales and NI.

The answer is there are cultural differences, differences in languages of course and cuisine and sport (but let’s not get bogged down in that! 😂) but also festivals and cultural events that are celebrated, such as Guy Fawkes or Hogmanay etc. each place has its unique identity but there are obviously crossovers, and shared commonalities.

They do learn Country Dancing as part of p.e. No issues with dancing girl/girl or boy/boy. Comes in very handy at weddings with a bit of Ceilidh dancing!