We don't need some upstart horse-trading Thatcherite clone to start laying down rules for the Civil Service. He should take an oath to conduct government business with fairness and compassion, not just in the interests of himself and the Tory party.

Yes, it's quite a paradox isn't it.

I expect that the Oath will be available in at least twenty foreign languages, or alternatively a government funded translator will be there to help and avoid any musunderstandings.

When I was a civil servant the government was doing things that were somewhat contrary to at least one of those values, and it did feel very unbritish. I do wonder if we'd all been made to swear an oath like this, would it have made a difference.

How easy is it to get a job in the public sector if you don't speak English?

I've just started a course through work which is funded via the skills funding agency and part of agencies monitoring of the course (not part of the course content itself which is delivered via a professional institution) is a signed commitment from delegates to British Values.

It's just a tick box excercise but comes across as stalinist.

This policy can be summed up as clueless oafs propose an oath

Isn't this just another symptom of nationalism taking over?

I don't think so. The values are not related to the superiority of the state but about what's fundamental to it ie democracy, tolerance and diversity.

All very benign and harmless but quite unnecessary.

I am in favour of anything which riles lefties.

I think that the 'lefties' have gone too far stiffling speech with their PC nonsense.

Pretty pointless, anyone opposed will simply lie the way Republican MP's do when talking the oath of allegiance.

Indeed they are proposing that people be made (forced) to swear an oath to uphold freedom of speech and tolerance etc etc, doesn't sound much like freedom of speech or tolerance to me,
and what is specifically "British" about these 'values'? in what way are they different from French, German, Belgian, Italian, Spanish, American etc etc values?
Would I be allowed to swear an oath to support French values instead? or are British values better than anyone else's?

They will have our kids standing before the flag and singing the national anthem with their hands on their hearts at the start of everyday next.

It's utter bloody cobblers in my opinion and smacks of the 'last resort of the scoundrel' seems like they want to play the "I'm more patriotic than you" game.

I would refuse to do it on principle, the principles of free speech and the tolerance of other peoples views.

Well that's a surprise. personally I am in favour of anything that riles the ignorant.

MPs such as Sajid Javid take an oath but it doesn't stop them fiddling their expenses or taking decisions in their own interest rather than the country.

It's just utterly meaningless waffle intended to convince the easily led that this sort of stuff proves something, whereas it's as meaningful as swearing an oath to be a good boy this year.