Quite so JI. England lose, I shrug my shoulders. Iron lose and I’m in a bad mood for days! I wonder what percentage of the population still favour a National perceptive over a local/regional one.
You’ll often hear folk round here saying stuff like “that bloody London”, or “they’re not bothered about us in the North”. “Wasting money on HS2 when it won’t come any further north than Manchester”. And as for Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, they may as well be Belgium, Holland and France.
Sine the OP I’ve been on the lookout for flags. One or two Union Flags but around here the red/yellow Northumberland flag is the most prominent. I passed a catering van in a lay-by on the A69 yesterday proudly flying two and Market St in Hexham has around a dozen.
Having a World view of things and prioritising regional matters over national issues may have something to do with it.