mmmmmmm im a bit late on this thread, Nefandous is right. Im British too and English, but splitting hairs over simple words giving their definitions etc etc is not what this site is about, its about helping one another and having fun at the same time. I hope that you take this in the manner its meant not as a rebuff, just a thought provoking item hoping you will find this site helpful and the people who use it wonderful, especially those who go out of their way to find things out etc etc. 
You hit the nail on the head.
Being both English and British, to you if someone says English when they really mean British, it probably does seem like splitting hairs.
But for a Scotsman or a Welshman, if you use English instead of British, you exclude them. Having lived in Scotland for many years, I know they tend to find this a bit irritating.
Rather than risk this irritation wouldn't it be better to use British when we mean British ? You see what I am getting at ?
I don't mean this in any contentious way. I just hope it goes some way to adding a little flesh to the bones of my initial post.
