Actually, that’s not quite right…

As I travel around Cuba talking to people about the United Kingdom, I am constantly surprised by how little many Cubans really know about my country. This blog is an attempt to put that right. Here are nine things you probably don’t know about the UK:

1. There is free education in the UK.

The large majority of children in the UK attend free, publicly-funded schools – approximately 93% in 2012. These schools are funded by the government – parents don’t have to pay.

2. There is also free health care in the UK.

Just as with education, health care is also provided by the British government. The National Health Service was set up in 1948 after the Second World War and provides a comprehensive range of services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use.

3. The BBC does not write or broadcast what the government tells it to write or broadcast.

The BBC receives its funding from the government but has total editorial control over what it produces. It is a public broadcaster, serving the public interest and with a mission to ‘inform, educate and entertain’. It is not owned by an individual or a political party.

4. The UK is multicultural and diverse.

Many Cubans seem to think that all British people have fair skin and blue eyes, are Christian and speak English at home. Many do but many don’t.  The last census in 2011 established that 14% of the population of England and Wales are not white – that’s about 7.8m people.  London is one of the most global cities in the world – 4.5m of its 8.2m population are from ethnic minority groups and over 300 languages spoken in its school playgrounds. English is the common language in the UK but in over 2 million households English is not the main language spoken.

5. The United Kingdom no longer has an empire.

The UK did have an empire once; today it doesn’t. What it does have is a group of 14 countries, called Overseas Territories. The Territories are very diverse, with thousands of small islands, vast areas of ocean, but also, in Antarctica, land 6 times the size of the United Kingdom. They include one of the world’s richest communities, in Bermuda; the most remote community, in Tristan da Cunha and one of the smallest, with only 54 people living on Pitcairn Island. The total population of the territories is roughly a quarter of a million people.

The UK Government’s relationship with its Territories is a modern one based on partnership, shared values and the right of the people of each Territory to choose to remain British. Where the people of a Territory choose to remain British, as they have in the Falkland Islands, we are working to maintain and deepen our special relationship.

6. The UK takes climate change extremely seriously.

The British government is working very hard at home and abroad to adapt to the effects of climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We’re investing in low-carbon energy sources, improving fuel standards in cars and increasing energy efficiency wherever possible. We aim to reduce the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% (from the 1990 baseline) by 2050.

7. The UK is not actually called England.

England is one of four countries that make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; the other three are Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The word ‘British’ comes from Great Britain, which includes Scotland, Wales and England. I happen to be English but there could just as easily be a Welsh, Scottish or Northern Irish ‘British’ Ambassador here in Havana.

8. There is a lot more to British music than the Beatles and Adele.

Don’t get me wrong; it is fantastic that so many Cubans love the Beatles and Adele, that there is a life-size statue of John Lennon just down the road from my house in Havana and that the Union Flag is a fashion icon throughout Cuba. However there are thousands more bands you should be listening to. Ever heard of Oasis, the Fratellis, the Clash, James Blunt, Jessie J, Ed Sheeran, Snow Patrol, Billy Bragg, Dizzee Rascal, Beth Orton….? I could go on and on.  All producing great music and worth listening to.

9. Some British people are sometimes late for meetings!

But not many and not often. We are business-like and professional and like meetings to start on time but we’re not as obsessed with it as many people seem to think. Other myths about us are that we only drink tea – no, we love coffee too – and we are uptight, old-fashioned and very formal – this may have been true in the past for some people but certainly isn’t anymore. Britain is young, innovative and modern – witness the fabulous creativity in our music, fashion and art.

Of course it’s not surprising that many Cubans don’t know what the UK is really like. It’s a long way away, expensive to visit and access to the internet is limited in Cuba. Also the media here rarely publishes or broadcasts balanced reports about events in the UK. Well, now there’s no excuse; now I’ve cleared up a few misunderstandings, they can start!