For once  Channel 4 has contributed to the intelligence of the nation!

 Make Bradford British was a thought provoking and touching series, much needed to stimulate conversations about difference, and whether it matters for instance how a girl chooses to dress, whether a person goes to Mosque, Church or Temple or none of these. Check this out if you missed the series.http://www.channel4.com/programmes/make-bradford-british/articles/diversity-and-difference

Jeremy Paxman continues to try to find people, living in the ex colonies now, who will castigate entirely the legacy of the British Empire, in his series Empire. Mostly the responses are about what they have now because of the British having been in their country then, like the railway system in India, shifting six million passengers every day. The schools in central Africa begun by the missionaries, and still operating. Democracy was another gift left where we had been and no mean gift. The civil service and law which regulated the 'dominions' has a legacy in the civil administrations still extant in India. Even a Mau Mau activist in Kenya could say that she is thankful for the school system left by the missionaries.

No one can say that the British Empire was entirely 'good' or 'bad'.  It happened, as the Roman Empire, the Egyptian Empire, the Spanish Empire all happened.  All we can say is that we can look back now and see the effects which we live with now.

We have an exciting mix of peoples from all over the world.  This is our legacy of our Empire. It adds to the excitement of life here in the UK,  in terms of music, dance, literature and  business. It widens the gene pool which is a healthy thing for us as a nation.

 I think we need to have pride in this legacy, instead of being hangdog and 'ashamed' for the bad things which happened. We have to live  in the present.  It is what it is! Accept and grow!