I remember reading about Lord Mountbatten, the last governor of India. The author was outraged that Mountbatten had allegedly said of a servant, “I don’t care whether he’s a muslim, a hindu or a Sikh, as long as he can make a good cup of tea”, complaining it was dismissive and borderline racist.

I think it’s an excellent saying and sums up the Engllish character well; as long as you can do what you’re paid to do, it doesn’t matter about your religion - it’s a meritocracy.

It also encompasses the fantastic English reticence about discussing religion; most of us see it as a private matter.

Mountbatten may or may not have been a patrician fool who wrecked India, but he was right in this case.