EmailGrowing international homogeneity and the dominance of American culture mean that it is increasingly difficult to pinpoint Britishness, according to AH Halsey, former professor of social and administrative studies at Oxford university.
Writing in the 30th anniversary edition of Social Trends, the compendium of social statistics, Professor Halsey says that as recently as 1940, George Orwell could state that "when you come back to England from any foreign country, you have immediately the sensation of breathing different air".
It was doubtful that Orwell could make such an assertion today, the professor said. "What would strike him perhaps would be the rapidity of change from his death in 1950 and the degree of assimilation of life in Britain to that of the other advanced industrial countries in Europe and North America."
Prof Halsey, regarded as a founding father of comprehensive education and now emeritus fellow of Nuffield college, Oxford, told the Guardian that Britain was becoming "hopelessly Americanised" in everything from the decline of the high street to fixation with the individual and the free market.
"It seems to me that we have lost the old form of society that we had when I was a child. In terms of dress, in terms of sex, in terms of politics, we are much more like the rest of the world and we have lost a lot of that distinctiveness."
Stressing that people's lives had changed for the better in many respects, such as disposable income, life expectancy and health, Prof Halsey said he was not necessarily lamenting the passing of days of "warm beer and old ladies cycling to church", as conjured up by former Conservative leader John Major.
"There's a lot to be said for the way we have changed, but being like everybody else is just a bit dreary," he said.
Social Trends, published by the office for national statistics, highlights several aspects of the growing international ism of our working and domestic lives. It shows that almost 400,000 Britons now live in other EU states, with some 800,000 people from those countries living in Britain - although more than half are from Ireland.
After years of the gap narrowing, the number of holidays taken abroad has finally eclipsed the number taken in this country - although tourism chiefs point out that this applies to trips of four nights or more and that there is a boom in shorter breaks taken at home.
In an apparent return to habits of a past era, however, the number of adults living with their parents is rising. In the 20-24 age group, 56% of men and 38% of women are still in the family home. In 1977-78, the respective figures were 52% and 31%.
By age 30-34, 11% of men and 4% of women are still at home, compared with 9% and 3% respectively in 1977-78.
Jill Matheson, co-editor of Social Trends, said: "Some young people may be delaying leaving home because of difficulties entering the housing market. The later age of marriage may also be a factor."
Findings In Brief
• People on council estates say dogs are as much an irritant as noise. But crime is rated twice as big a problem as either of them.
• The number of special constables in England and Wales fell 10% in the 12 months to last March. The number of full-time police officers also dropped slightly, though police staffing overall remained 35% higher than in 1971.
• On average, people eat fresh fruit equivalent to six apples a week. In 1975, they ate the equivalent of only four. Fresh vegetable consumption has risen only marginally, however.
• Average expenditure on motoring has more than doubled in real terms since 1971. Four in 10 drivers say it would make no difference to their car use if petrol costs doubled over the next decade.
• Measured against local incomes, people in the north-east pay the highest council tax and those in Northern Ireland the lowest. Contrary to widespread belief, Londoners pay well below average.
• Twenty-three per cent of women, and 15% of men, say they have been assaulted by a current or former partner.
• People in Yorkshire and Humberside eat out the least, compared with the rest of England. Londoners eat out the most, but people in the north-east come only slightly behind.
• One in three men, and one in five women, never use sun cream. Rates of skin cancer have tripled since 1971
