That hasn’t stopped countless politicians, who are equally famous for being slippery, from trying to define them over the years.
The official British values, as things stand, are respect for the rule of law, individual liberty, democracy, and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.
But there are some intrinsically British values that politicians have for too long failed to acknowledge, from our fondness for queuing to our phenomenal tea-drinking capacity.
Below is a list of 13 alternative British values, each illustrated by a classic archive photo.
Our tongue-in-cheek list is inspired more by cliché and Reddit discussions than any provable facts.
Some are values upon which Britons have historically prided themselves, even if the rest of the world may disagree.
How many of these British ‘values’ do you agree with? If you enjoyed this article, you might like this look at some of the oddest place names in the UK, and their origins.
13. Devouring a Sunday roast
British food has a reputation for being a bit bland, and that can be true, but a Sunday roast done properly is a thing of beauty. What constitutes the ideal roast is often the subject of fierce debate, and tomes have been written about how to cook the perfect roast potatoes. But even if the meat's a bit dry or the roasties could be crispier, the ritual of sitting down with the family for a Sunday roast is hard to beat. | Getty Images Photo: Fox Photos