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Isn't that genetic mix likely to be quite similar across the UK, given how small the island is?
It's about as racist as people from North London teasing those in South London.
Dramatic_Hammer-
For me, the genetic argument doesn't really come into it.
What bothers me is the fairly regular sneering from certain segments in a northward direction any time independence is mentioned.
Common themes include:
violence
heroin
poor health
poor diet
weak economy
haggis
freeloading/benefit junkies
braveheart
'One-state'/'SNP'/'dear leader'any many more.
Nevermind that many of these things (insofar as they actually exist) can be fairly easily traced back to interference/governance (delete as appropriate) from Westminster...
To the people who suggest that Scotland is rife with anti-English sentiment, I don't deny it exists to some extent. Every society has its idiots. However, there is a very imporant distinction between 'anti-English', and 'anti-westminster' - the latter of which is far more prevalent and politically motivational.
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Surprisingly enough, regional groups that correlate to post-Roman immigration are still extant.
This is based upon genetic analysis.
Perhaps more surprising, is that the same results are achieved with the analysis of surnames: eg a Lancashire Wilson will have a common heritage with most other Lancashire Wilsons.
It's only since the industrial revolution that any more than a small minority have been mobile to any appreciable degree. And, in relative terms, that is very recent.
And even then, much of the migration preserved the original groups: people largely migrated to their regional centre, rather than to centres in other regions.
gillies
Scilly.Suffolk
Are Scots entirely anglo saxon now? As a distinct National group with its own history and traditions I'm not sure separating it along ethnic lines matters today but Scotland's composed of a distinct mix of Celts, Picts and Anglo Saxon roots.
I'd argue that a lot of the comments in this thread wouldn't be tolerated if made about Arabs, Germans or any other nationality but when it comes the the Scots, Irish and Welsh there's a surprising acceptance if not enthusiam for some quite insulting language and stereotypes from an English majority. Go figure.