Can a British Pakistani Be British? A Debate on Identity and Ancestry

Earlier before, you said that you don't want your people to become extinct.

That's correct. What's the difference between you and a racist then?

Because that seems quite racist when you say you don't want your people to ex- be extinct.

Are you a different species? We're all people, it's just that we have our own inheritance and our own lineage and ancestry and- So these are people that are in Britain, living in Britain, yet they're not your people.

What differentiates be- between you and them?

What is Britishness in your eyes? What is a British value? What does that mean?

Growing up under the welfare state, getting an education.

How is that Britishness? You said you don't want your people to become extinct.

Who's you- Why does that upset you? I'm asking you to answer, or to tell me the difference between a Pakistani person and a white man sitting here privileged.

Privileged, yeah? Yeah. You've got a lot of attitude.

I think you just need to relax a little bit and be respectful.

So I would say, first of all, the fact that I'm white is no bearing on my ability to make a compelling argument, and nor should it- So what's compelling about your argument? Tell me that.

Are, are you going to interrupt me or are you gonna let me finish?

Yeah, I am, actually. Well, in that case, leave, because you're just being rude.

Okay. You, you, you just said a British value is to be respectful, so- Yeah, you're correct ... and you said you understand British values. Yeah.

So should we try it? Yeah. The difference fundamentally between myself and the gentleman earlier that I was, you claim I was talking to, I may well have been, I just can't remember, who said he had Pakistani origins, lineage, ancestry,

is the fact that he has an inheritance that I don't have.

In the same way I'm not Pakistani, he's not British.

I have noth- Do I think he's a bad person? No.

Do I think he's beneath me? No. So can you- I just think it- ... Pakistani... Oh, sorry, go on.

I just think that he has a different inheritance, and that's as simple as that.

As I have my inheritance as a British man, as a Briton.

But he's Pakistani. He's also British. Can you not be both?

Can you explain to me what Britishness is? Being born here.

If he's born here, is he British? Why does that make you British?

'Cause it's from the pa- place you're born in.

If I went to China, my parents went to China and had me in China, would I be Chinese?

Well, you grew up with the Chinese values, no?

Would I be Chinese? No.

Well, then. Well, well, well. I'm asking...

That's a loophole, isn't it, though? It's not a loophole.

You still grow up with Chinese values. If someone asked you where you're from, you'd still say, "I was born in China," and I would... That's still relevant. I think you just answered- That's still relevant to your identity, no? ... your own argument, didn't you?

I think you lost that one