As someone who has made the decision to relocate to the UK or is contemplating doing so, you may be a little curious as to what British values mean. How we perceive ‘British values’ is, in part, shaped by our culture; what we see on TV and in the cinema, hear in the form of radio and music, and read in books. At the same time, British values are constantly evolving. Britain has become incredibly multicultural in the last few decades, with immigrants from all corners of the globe settling here. This has further shaped British values and made the UK the fascinating and liberal country it is today. In this article, we will talk about 4 of the key British values that you will see and experience living here.
What are British values?
Clearly, there is no one definite list of British values, but 4 of the most commonly accepted ‘fundamental British values’ or ‘core British values’ are the following:
- Democracy
- Individual Liberty
- Mutual respect for and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs
- Respect for the rule of law
If asked to provide the top 5 British values, one could also include ‘respect and tolerance’.
Indeed, these Fundamental British values are embedded within the British education system, ensuring that all independent and state school children leave school with beliefs and behaviours that make them healthy and progressive contributors to life in the UK.
According to the school inspection handbook issued by Ofsted, provision for the social development of school pupils in the UK includes developing their “acceptance of and engagement with the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. They will develop and demonstrate skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in and contribute positively to life in modern Britain”.
British value 1: Democracy
British people are taught that democracy is an important principle that should be respected by all rather than being taken for granted. Of course, many people arriving from other countries do not come from democratic countries and may not understand just how essential it is to achieve a healthy balance within society. Democracy means “rule by the people”. As such, it means that British nationals vote for who they would like to run the country in national elections. As Abraham Lincoln, the 16th US president, famously said, democracy is ‘government of the people, by the people, for the people’.
Interestingly, not all democracies are equal in terms of quality. At the top of the democratic quality index (according to Democracymatrix.com) is Denmark, while the UK scores 17th in the world, ahead of France, Austria, Canada and South Korea. So, while we are not the highest-scoring democracy, we are way ahead of many other democratic nations, including the United States (in 36th place).
British value 2: Individual Liberty
Individual liberty means having the freedom to believe, act, and express ourselves without interference from the government as long as this does not mean breaking the law or causing harm to others. Furthermore, individual liberty is displayed in our daily lives through equality and human rights, respect and dignity, rights, choice, consent, individuality, values and principles.
British value 3: Mutual respect for and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs
Modern Britain is an extremely tolerant and inclusive society that has mutual respect for and tolerance of a wide range of different faiths, religions, and beliefs. Clearly, not everyone holds the same beliefs and values. This value ensures we respect the rights of others to hold their values, ideas and beliefs. Indeed, not feeling the need to impose our own faith and belief on others is core to British values.
British value 4: Respect for the rule of law
The UK is widely regarded as a place where the rule of law is upheld and respected. No one is above the law, including the police and those in charge of running the country and the government. Respect for the rule of law also means that everyone has access to courts that are independent and are able to resolve disputes objectively in accordance with legal principles. In addition, our laws are accessible, intelligible, clear, and predictable. As Lord Reed once simply stated, “At the heart of the concept of the rule of law is the idea that society is governed by law. Parliament exists primarily in order to make laws for society in this country … Courts exist in order to ensure that the laws made by Parliament and the common law are applied and enforced”.
Final words
The role of these fundamental British values in forming a respectful, orderly and balanced society cannot be overstated. When the overwhelming majority of people subscribe to these core values, everyone in society benefits, including those born here and those who have chosen to live here.
A Y & J Solicitors is a specialist immigration law firm with extensive experience with all types of visa applications. We have an in-depth understanding of immigration law and are professional and results-focused. For assistance with your visa application or any other UK immigration law concerns, please contact us on +44 20 7404 7933 or contact us today. We’re here to help!
