KEY POINTS:
Gordon Brown has asked the British public to come up with a catchy motto for modern Britain - and the results are in equal parts cringe-inducing and hysterical.
The PM is hoping to catch the public's imagination, and is after something, in about five words, to sum up Britain.
Suggestions are coming thick and fast - "In America we trust", "At least we're not French" and "Land of yobs and morons" have proven popular.
New Zealand is currently without motto - and it's probably time that changed.
So not to be outdone, we're looking for the best motto to tell the world about New Zealand - five or six words that sum us up as a nation.
There's probably only four years' mileage in "We was robbed", "It was the ref's fault" or "The world's fifth best rugby nation".
But "World famous in the South Pacific" or "We used to be top of the OECD" have certainly got the legs for the long-term.
How about "Coming soon to a major capital near you, NZers"?
If you think you've got the motto that New Zealand needs, click on the Your Views link - surely we can do better than the Brits.
The best that an Australian survey came up with was "Look at moi".
In the British survey, readers of The Times have posted hundreds of suggestions - from "Wallowing in a post-colonial miasma" and "Once mighty empire, slightly used", to the cheesy patriotism of "Great people, great country, Great Britain" and "Courage, reason, humanity, democracy, monarchy".
And others have grabbed the chance to have a dig at Brown and the Labour government.
"Taxation without Representation is Tyranny" is one of the more political suggestions, along with "Created by heroes, destroyed by Labour" or "Our government no longer listens".
Yob-culture, binge drinking, gambling, and street violence feature prominently in many postings on the Times Online site - as does Britain's penchant for apologising.
"Drinking continues until morale improves" says one. "Our glass is half empty", says another.
The sentiments expressed in the suggestion of "Fat, rude arrogant, racist, selfish" are put into a more modern socio-political setting with: "Dipso fatso bingo asbo Tesco".
One contributor says Britain's motto should be: "Sorry, it's all our fault", another suggests "We apologise for the inconvenience".
One reader suggests Britain should be summed up with the words: "No balls, nerve or glory".
NZ HERALD STAFF / REUTERS
