Vote for your favourite national motto

We've had coming on to 2,000 motto ideas submitted since we first called for entries. This is a symbol, I feel, of the national enthusiasm for Gordon Brown's brilliant idea that we urgently need a national motto, to keep people's spirits up while they are being detained without trial.

The Prime Minister was intending to call 1,000 people together to select a winner. I thought this would be expensive, since you would have to buy everyone lunch or even put them up in a hotel in central Blackpool.

So, to save money, we are having a vote. I have chosen ten, some funny, some serious, and all you need to do is select your favourite and then click the blue "Cast Your Vote" button. Voting closes at noon on Tuesday, November 20. Better get going.

UPDATE: Voting has now closed and we have a winner. Results will be announced on Wednesday, November 21.

Comments

[molly]

I don't like any of the ten maxims to be voted on ... they are trivial and not fitting the great and adventurous history of your nation ... to me you've always been "THE LAND OF HOPE AND GLORY!" And you still have the best stories to tell! (Isn't this already a familiar maxim in one of your more inspiring anthems? ... use it with pride and apologize for NOTHING!) (This is from a yank with ancestors from your blessed shores.)

[Simon Stephenson]

"The Prime Minister was intending to call 1,000 people together to select a winner. I thought this would be expensive, since you would have to buy everyone lunch or even put them up in a hotel in central Blackpool."

Good gracious me! Introduce judgementalism into public expenditure decision-making. Wouldn't this automatically lead to a call for such cost-justification to spread throughout the public sector? How on earth would politicians and civil servants be able to spend our money if they had to demonstrate in advance that such expenditure would be reciprocated by the value of the outcome achieved? Whatever next! Soon you'll be asking for them to demonstrate not only that their policy suggestions are good value for money, but also that they are better value for money than anything else that has been suggested. Never in my life have I heard of anything so ridiculous.

[jaime gamell- riera]

I continue to believe that
"the future is not what it used to be"
is the best.

[M. OMalley]

Open letter to foreigners who decide they are going to come to Canada and go amuck in our public areas and services.
If you cannot control yourself or you have relatives who you have decided you are going to dump onto someone else to take care of do not come here. Further if you do come here and you do not like our laws and police officers leave—You should have someone who understands the English language to translate this to you—We are totally fed up with psychos and troublemakers who come to this country and decide they can go crazy throwing private property around and smashing things up—Get it in you simple little minds you types of individuals are not welcome--
Where do these idiots come from that run the immigrations of Canada?
What kind of rewards do they get importing these psychos that kill our police officers, go ballistic in the airports, gang together in a jihad to blow us all up? It must be very rewarding they can dump this garbage onto society and walk away laughing all the way to the bank.
Thank you very much.

[Louise]

The land of 'hope' & glory . . . and 'optimism'. . . please someone realise, we can't lose our britishness or belonging, other countries seem able to be patriotic, why can't we????

[tato dulanci]

Although of Spanish origin, why not the most modern "Why don`t you shut up?".

[Jacques]

On a recent visit to England I was astonished by the habitual use of the 'f' word by men, women & children from all walks of life, it seemed to have replaced all other adjectives in the English language. I am therefor surprised that it does not appear in at least one of your 10 suggestions.
'f***ing right' !!

[Tony McDonald]

how about this one
Ipso Gatso Caveat Fatso

"Smile, you're on CCTV"
Way to go, Les.

My suggestion:
Passed its sell-by date.

[Mark Barrett]

Sorry, late contribution but also in breach of word number!

Life, Liberty and the Cultivation of Wisdom

M

[Jonathan]

I'd like to choose "Mind you own business" without the exclamation mark.

! is so lazy.

[P W Watson]

Sadly these are trite and the sign of a lost past. We were the birthplace of freedom, we are now its grave.

It's over. - that should do it.

[shorehamview]

What about "At least it's not America"?

[J Heron]

Closed until further notice

[Andy]

How do you vote "None of the Above"?

In fact that's another entry or motto!

[Jon Wainwright]

The Motto for Britain should be:-
"In Arduis Fidelis"
The problem is that we don't have politicians, or for that matter corporate and industrial leaders, who would have the backbone to live up to it, unlike the RAMC who have proved time and again that they - in spite of the constant hamstringing they are forced to endure while carrying out their duties, both in conflict and in peace, and at home as well as abroad - do. And for those that would question this, I say only, go and count the VC's & GC's earned by them in the service of others.

[Dan Lovatt]

The 'national motto' should reflect the present and future.Im surprised we can even decide who we are as a nation anymore,with white english society so marginalised.How on earth are we going to find an emblem big enough to incorporate the translations.
How about 'Chavs and Minorities Rule',would seem to be quite accurate,from my point of view.

[Michael]

I think the fact, that we don't already have a motto is a testament of what it is to be British. We don't enforce a rigid motto, we don't enforce a rigid constitution, we do just fine without them thank you.
National motto's are just a form of patriotic propaganda and a tool used by totalitarian societies. If every other country has one. I'd take that as a good sign that we are right in not having one.

[Declan]

Nos victum quod venit domus

[Whizzy Lizzy]

1.I'm keeping out of it
or more appropriately:
2.Sorry it's late

[Neil]

Motto? I suppose if the country is going to persist with its UK plc identity, it needs a "mission statement". But what a load of tosh. Everyone knows what "British" means, even if we pretend to have forgotten.

[meriam]

I'm still in love with 'Once Great: Britain'. It's been haunting me for days now. :)

love les` one its sheer class nice one lad, i quite like the idea of painting 40 foot high letters on the cliffs of dovers saying "bugger off we are full!"

[John Howard]

How about:

"Morons offering us lousy choices"

[Frances]

A shame we no longer seem to be capable of anything but humour.The choices are for the most part just cartoonish.

[atleastitsnotamerica]

ONE NATION, UNDERDOG.

[atleastitsnotamerica]

ONE NATION, UNDERDOG.

[brian robson]

how about " keep working hard, millions on benefit rely on you".

sorry it's late

[Rick]

No votes for any of the "Top 10". I prefer "Steadfast Defender of Liberty".

[tokenpom]

'Whatever'

[sir]

WWI WW2
Oh America,
What would we do without you?

[Jill]

'not known at ths address'

[JJ]

How about

Get out of EU -now

[michael denton]

Britain, Britain, a Great Future Behind it

[Helen]

THANKYOU the Times for taking the mickey so promptly out of this appalling piece of Big Brother branding - one of the most shameful suggestions yet from a truly shameful government. There is no chance now of them ever sticking some trite piece of embarrassment as a 'motto' on the British people, who will cheerfully replace it with one of their own above. (And it won't be one of the serious ones.) We are British; we fight back by taking the mickey. THAT is our national identity, it's as old as the two fingers the British raised to the French at the battle of Agincourt, and no politician is ever going to stifle that.

[CWoods]

What happened to "Rain Stopped Play"?

[Audax]

"My vote would have to go to that most British of expressions.

"You wouldn't understand, it's called irony"

[Dave Burns]

Get me out of here - I'm English!

[dafydd bullock]

British means English, surely? Not many Welsh or Scots use this word nowadays, so the notion of 'our nation'- 'our national motto' misses the point. The English still live in their colonial past, tea on the lawn, Mrs Miniver to inspire .... not much relevance for Scots and Welsh Europeans!

[Pam Woolaston]

We are the nation who gave birth to modern democracy, we are the nation who gave Nazi Germany its first ever major military defeat in the Battle of Britain and we are the nation who used to rule over three quarters of the Earth.

We simply do not need a motto.

This is another gimmick from this failing Labour government to try and convince that they do not hate Britain and all it stands for.

[RDAHampshire]

I,m not impressed by any of these. Although it's late, what about 'Always the country to beat.'?

[andrew desborough]

why is it that we have to mock ourselves so much? the fact is that we are great and thats because of our history. go mwith the first one but attach some importance and meaning to it otherwise everyone will continue getting away wrongly with calling us obselete and eccentric and that is to their own disadvantage, ignorance and incorrectness.

[JOhn Thomas]

England! (the others are windowdressing)

[Bub Smith]

Birthplace of freedom? The UK? England?

Are you people nuts?

Let's see. Africa? Nope, killed lots of them.

India? Nope, ah right. Killed lots of them as well.

America? Nope. Killed ... do I need to go on.

Maybe. A continuing rein of terror by wealthy white males on the rest of the world!

[The other Gordon]

It has to be"Land of Hope and Glory ", which has a superb new national anthem to go with it.

[Jim]

"Great Britain, make it happen again.

[Jim MacDonald]

Times up gentlemen please-England is on its knees.

[edgy]

Mind the Gap

[Russ]

"May contain nuts"

[Doug]

Speak English!

[Bob Garland]

I hope that you will excuse an American from sounding in but Britain has nothing to prove to the World. Britain has fought for the freedoms and the rights of man around the World for centuries. Britain, as are we all, is not perfect, but Britain has been and still is the "anchor of freedom" for so many countries and peoples. Britain remembering her proud past needs only to keep her head high to see her magnificent future.

[Robert Musicant]

When I heard of this contest over on my side of the Atlantic, I turned immediately to the speeches of Churchill from the terrible spring of 1940. There we find, Churchill quoting the poet, "He nothing common did or mean." Surely it is appropriate to speak of a heritage such as the British with "We nothing common did or mean."

[Robert Thomas]

Another note from a Yank. Although I appreciate British understatement and the self-deprecation typical of British humour (spelling in honour of our esteemed friends across the pond), I should like something a little more reflective of GB's brilliant history, steadfast friendship, and bright future. I was thinking more along the lines of 'Legendary past, boundless future -- Albion'.

[Steve Grum]

I thought
"Honi soit qui mal y pense" was our national motto?

[Miles Smoljo]

In looking over your 10 selected mottos for the UK, I am surprised by the lack of serious attempts to find an appropriate motto for Britain.

Let it never be forgotten that Britain is a great nation. Not always a good nation, but undisputably a great nation, and one of the greatest influences in world culture.

Such a nation should have a motto worthy of its heritage. This motto should also reflect the better elements of the current era, particularly the democratic embrace of other cultures and peoples. Finally, this motto should contain a beacon to steadily shine on Britain's promise for the future.

If it would not offend the British people to hear advice on this matter from the commonwealth (Canada), then here is my suggestion for a new British national motto: "From many roots, a mighty oak."

Cheers!

[Revel Barker]

Mustn't grumble.

[Donovan]

"We know what we are, but know not what we may be." Shakespeare

[seth taylor]

It is so sad that we cant take this seriously. Its almost as if we are embarrassed to be British and be united under a single motto that encompasses what it is to be British. The problem i am afraid lies in the way the media report 'facts' to us and constantly tell us that we are a nation that needs to be ashamed of the way it handles itself.

I am proud to be British AND I AM NOT RACIST. I am though dissapointed that successive governments have made it easier and easier for foreigners to come to our shores and be financially supported. I am embarrassed that we donate billions of pounds every year in foreign aid before even attempting to look after our own. I am embarrassed and ashamed that we take orders from foreign governments.

Shame on us all. Perhaps that should be our motto?!

[Andrew Snelling]

It might confuse some foreigners but my suggestion (and directed at the rest of the world) would be "Don't mention it..."

[Julian Cox]

Hmmmmm, not much of a choice, really. What about "Post Blairum omne presbyterium triste est"?

[James Warren]

Smoking is strictly prohibited...

[John Grieves]

Can I suggest "Sold Out"

[jack]

Why not : Why be a lean self-respecting democracy, when you can be a fat gluttonously consuming planet-busting banana republic?

[santi]

"Great Britain is our motto"

(with love from Spain)

[Roger]

Its too late to have a motto for Great Britain. Surely you have all realised by now that soon England will all be part of Greater Scotland, and the Scots as we know have a plethora of mottos. So "Gordon the Great", who will soon pass a law that will only allow persons with Mac before their surname to sit in the Westminster Parliament, will surely impose "Nemo me impune lacessit" on us.
Then when he has ensured that the English have drowned in immigrants from every poverty stricken country in the world, totally disolving our Englishness in the process, he will dissappear back over the border knowing that the 'Scots revenge' is finally complete.
So for the next period of England's history we could have "The price of apathy is to be ruled by evil men" (Plato), because thats what we are, apathetic.

[Indigent Vagabond]

Your motto should have genocide, theft, and pure evil in it someplace. You are a member of the Trillion Dollar Club from theft of land and resources from Indigenous peoples around the world.

Maybe "Absolutely nothing to be proud of!" should be your motto!

Thank you very much!

[Marc Holt]

How about: "Going, going, gone"!

Britain as we know it won't be around for much longer. Scotland looks as if it will be independent within the next decade. What next, Wales, Northern Ireland..........

[Marion Morrison]

While I am aware of this country's faults I also recognise its virtues. It would be perfectly factual to claim that Britan is the :

Home of the World's most successful culture.

[George Green]

**************************************
****** MY CHOICE FOR A MOTTO *********
******** IS REGRETTABLY *************
********** Lager Lout Land ***********
************ BRAIN DEAD **************

GBG
Nov 2007

[Tony Pritchard]

Britain. Once great. So I'm told...

[Rob]

great britain ....spot on, im with you ,that says it all

[Tomos]

Do you think us Welsh and Scottish care about this? Nope. Just another thing for people to think the whole island is made of people with cockney accents drinking tea.

[Peter]

How about: "healhcare, education, weather"? ;)

[obadiah]

Garlic bread?

[William James Welsh Brown]

Drawing from Churchill's rhetoric to capture the indominable British spirit
I suggest that the motto be:
"Never, never give up!"

William J. Brown
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
(Paternal grandfather born in England)

[Oliver Sommer]

how about "Mind the Gap"

[Ben Fox]

Always look on the brightside of life
Small island big attitude

[Irma Greene]

Land of hope and glory? Land of health and safety, surely? Careful now!

[Woodlanda]

My Suggestion

"Britain, Not Just Another Countreee..."

Johnny Rotten collides with M&S - what could sum up the extremes of Britishness more effectively.

[Martin Gilleland]

Following on from the lager lout theme and the Eurostar ads which depict the current nation so aptly may I suggest
Rude Britannia

[Lucy Harman]

Nice place to come from.

[Robert Tomlin]

Screw you I'm alright Jack!

[Phil McKenna]

Has to be
'Sorry? Sorry! Sorry.'

[Jan]

"Do something? What do you mean 'do something'? We're British! We never do anything until it is too late!" - Sid James, Carry On Up The Khyber.

[Walter Matthews]

The UK: It's what the rest of Europe wants to be when it grows up.

[Alan Chappell]

Born English, moving to the US when I was eleven, I'm proud of both my heritage and my adopted country. I served proudly in the United States Marine Corps and still play soccer with the passion I was born with.
Winston Churchill's sayings defined England and her citizens. To paraphrase one of his most famous:
"Never have so few done so much for so many."

[S.P.Roberts]

news clip in toronto sun nov.13/07 motto for Britain.
my suggestion would be
"our pride will never fail"

[Stan]

How about;
You're never alone in the UK, Big Brother always has your back.

[Paul]

How about

"God Bless America"

After all, if it wasn't for them, we'd be the most unpopular country in the world.

[POM]

"We are the nation who used to rule over three quarters of the Earth."
That's kinda catchy, in a pathetic, washedup, has-been sort of way.

[Kate]

Get out while you can

As a Chinese living in Beijing, "you are on CCTV" make me smile.

[Alan Hyatt]

'The Cynical Society' sums it up for me, trouble is, in this politically correct country cynisisim is our only civilised means of self preservation

[Matthew Duckworth]

Could you ask the question again after we get rid of the Scots, Welsh and Irish, please?

[derek]

qualify not nullify

[Nick]

Terribly sorry!

[Pat]

I think Churchill used to say KBO
"Keep Buggering On"

[Michael S. Burkinshaw]

Pride is for a fighting cock that eventually ends up as a feather duster,but the shame is for no brit when our history is compared to that of others on this globe.(The way things look at the moment how about:Nongratumanusrodentum)

[Michael]

The vast majority of attempts for a new national motto from people on here seem to have negative connotations.
So with those people in mind why not, 'Britain: A nation of whingers'.
or
'Britain: If you don't like it why not move somewhere else'.

[Sam Naz and Lani]

You can borrow our rain