Fascinating interview with someone from the BBC World Service on Radio 4's feedback program. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006slnx Asked about whether the World Service promoted Britain enough, he said this. "We are promoting Britain in the wider sense because we're founded on British values; Tolerance, fair play, open-mindedness, an impartial approach to the world." And compared with the other world services (specifically Russia and China), "[we're] much better at selling Britain by not selling Britain". So, our propaganda is much more subtle and much more effective than their's! I don't know whether to be proud or cynical about his description of British values. I wish that was true and I think often it is. But I'm all too aware how often we hide behind those values and actually behave just like the rapacious empire builders of the 19th century and earlier. As we've fallen from being *the* world power to being an important but second string power, I think Britain could and should take a stance guided by those values and by a sense of morality. It's us who should be voluntarily choosing to permanently scrap our nuclear weapons programme. It's us who should be refusing to be dragged into opportunistic wars. It's us who should be pushing for humanitarian aid and (non-violent) actions against repressive regimes. It's us who should be the conscience of the world. But all too often that gets lost in the endless need for politicians personal power and a misplaced belief that we're still The Empire of 1900.