Little England outlook still causing issues abroad By Sam Burleton It has been roughly 100 years since

the peak of the British Empire, yet some British citizens still believe their passport provides them with diplomatic immunity when travelling.
Gerry Stoker, Director of the Centre for Citizenship at Southampton University spoke about the issue, saying; One of the difficulties of British culture is dealing with its imperial past, 1 This dominance attitude has slowly ebbed away, but there still remains this little England outlook that Britain is the best country in the world, and if you are English you are naturally superior to others.2

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has reiterated that, being British doesnt mean youre above the lawyou will be treated just like a local, charged like a local and prosecuted like a local. Its a fact. Theres no immunity because youre British.3 The latest figures from the FCOs British Behaviour Abroad Report 2013 suggests that while this misconception applies to just a minority, the outlook is still problematic and needs to be changed. The majority of issues in the report are preventable with many pertaining to a lack of travel insurance and local scams, problems compounded by the little England outlook: a disrespect or total disregard for local customs and culture. Alcohol continues to be a major factor in cases involving young people travelling to the Balearics, (Ibiza, Mallorca) Turkey and Greek islands. Popular holiday spots like Spain remain locations where the highest number of Britons were hospitalised. And although arrests went down by 10% they still remain a problem. Most cases were handled in Spain (1,599) followed by the USA (1,120) and the United Arab Emirates (244).4 Drug arrests have gone down, but remain an issue; especially in Jamaica, France and Portugal. One of the main reasons for Britons being arrested is a lack of awareness of nations laws, culture and customs prior to travelling. There is a common awareness that fighting will get you arrested; however its the more unusual laws that may end in serious penalties, especially for things that happen without a second thought at home. For example, chewing gum is actually banned in Singapore.

Interview with Gerry Stoker, Professor of Governance & Director of the Centre for Citizenship, Globalization and Governance at the University of Southampton, November 28, 2013 2 Interview with Gerry Stoker, Professor of Governance & Director of the Centre for Citizenship, Globalization and Governance at the University of Southampton, November 28, 2013 3 http://issuu.com/foreignandcommonwealthoffice/docs/planpackexplore 4 British Behaviour Abroad Report 2013

Even something as simple as wearing camouflage clothing is an offence in St. Lucia & Barbados.5 Doing your research before visiting a country; like the FCO suggests; is vital, and can stop people making common mistakes. Americans are often branded with the worst international reputation; cited as loud, obnoxious and disrespectful however Brits dont fare much better. In fact, Business Inside conducted a recent survey that listed the, The 10 countries with Notoriously Bad Tourists. 6 The survey ranked Britain second behind the United States. The notable features were the worst behaviour and infamous for their bawdy bar behaviour and terrible tourist manners. According to Gerry Stoker, people abroad are not fully aware of their responsibilities as they dont take civic and citizenship education seriously. It is a minor element of the curriculum and almost got removed this year. I believe the figures from the FCO is a reflection that as a country we never put enough effort into civic and citizenship education.7 The Foreign and Commonwealth Office however is looking to change this reputation. The introduction of the Know Before You Go campaign aims to deter behaviour of this nature, helping Britons receive all the information they need before leaving on their trip. Each case abroad can represent great distress for the individuals concerned and for their families,8 says Minister Mark Simmonds. I encourage all British travellers to do everything they can to ensure a safe and enjoyable trip by taking some basic steps to prepare themselves before departure, including taking out comprehensive travel insurance and researching their destination. The goal of the campaign is simple: Britons need to know before they go. More detailed advice is available on the FCO website at www.gov.uk/knowbeforeyougo . You can also follow them on Facebook (facebook.com/fcotravel) or Twitter (twitter.com/fcotravel).

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https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/st-lucia/local-laws-and-customs The 10 Countries With Notoriously Bad Tourists, Business Insider May 18, 2013 Interview Gerry Stoker November 28, 2013 Mark Simmond Press Release via Foreign & Commonwealth website

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