The greatest Briton?

[Noddingdog]

I say, do any of us mind letting all the rest of us know who they think was the Greatest Briton? That'd be awfully kind of you..

Personally I'd say Winston Churchill, for his efforts and amazing support of the British Isles in the World War. What do you reckon?

 

[ukok]

is this the right place to mention the name...Tony (Phoney?) Blair ?...just joking of course...

 

[Unimatrix]

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[Karl - Liberal Backslider]

It would not be Winston Churchill. I'm not inclined to suggest the name of the man who pioneered Saddam Hussein's policy of gassing Kurds as a greatest Briton, nor one of the staunchest opponents of the emancipation of women.

I do not think one can have a "greatest Briton" - various people have shone in varying fields, and it is very difficult to decide which of these fields is of the greatest importance. If we are to look in the political sphere, my inclination is more towards Nye Bevin.

 

[webboffin]

Didn't thousands of people in India starve to feed the British during WW2 sanctioned by Churchill?

 

[webboffin]

The greatest people in Britian are the ones you love and takes care of you. My greatest people are my parents and my American wife.

 

[Yahweh Nissi]

Churchill is a tough one. He did make probably the biggest individual contribution to saving Britain (and indeed much of Europe) from Nazi tyranni, so in that sense he could be called the greatest. But I agree with Karl that his faults were just too great for that accolade. He had to be persuaded by his advisors not to mustard gas the entire Rhur valley - can you imagine how hideous that would have been?

Newton and Darwin would have to be contenders, as they are undoubtably two of the greatest scientists of all time.

As for politics, I would be more inclined to go for Attlee than Bevan. Nye was just to dogmatic about nationalisation wheras Attlee (and most of the rest of the cabinet) were more pragmatic about seeing where it was needed and would improve things.

 

[WinDontSin]

Didn't thousands of people in India starve to feed the British during WW2 sanctioned by Churchill?

Sometimes you must be cruel to be kind. It all worked out for the best.

 

[ej]

Aside from politics... how about Steve Redgrave?

 

[Aethelsige]

HIC IACET SEPULTUS INCLITUS REX ARTURIUS IN INSULA AVALONIA

The Boar of Cornwall shall bring relief from these invaders, for it will trample their necks beneath its feet.

I would say that Arthur, Alfred the Great and Henry II are the greatest of England.

 

[tonytech]

Isambard Kingdom Brunell,

 

[ej]

What does 'great' mean?

 

[Unimatrix]

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[ej]

Hmmm, yeah... but I was wondering about the basis upon which we're judging peoples greatness.

How about James Young Simpson? If it weren't for him, people would still be gettong their legs chopped off whilst they are awake...

That's GOT to be a good thing. For nearly everyone or certainly everyone who's had an operation!

 

[GREG]

Tony Blair is one of my favorites..... i know I am a silly American but he stands up and doesnt mess around

 

[Karl - Liberal Backslider]

Tony Blair is one of my favorites..... i know I am a silly American but he stands up and doesnt mess around

He's now getting very unpopular. We'll let our politicians do almost anything to us here, except lie. And we're beginning to think that Mr Blair's government may not always have been entirely truthful.

 

[GREG]

I cant help but like him........

 

[Firm Believer]

But you dont have to live in the UK :/

 

[gonleigh]

im not a fan of Tony Blair myself.
I think some of the great writers should get a mention like of course Shakespeare who overcame everything that stood in his way to produce some of the greatest litrature, some of which was way ahead of his time!

 

[oworm]

William Wilberforce 1759-1833 His lifes most passionate work was to abolish slavery in the UK. The fruits of his campaign were never realised by him until 1 month after his death.