Britain and Ireland are Northern Europe by various definitions, e.g. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_geoscheme_for_E...

that seems like a weird decision given Britain & Ireland are more culturally tied with Western Europe. It looks like the UN made that grouping for "statistical convenience" rather than cultural identity though, whatever that means.

That's debatable.

Especially in Northern England and Scotland, its not difficult to see things that are culturally closer to Scandinavia.

I think we'll have to agree to disagree on that one - I live in Northern England and half my family are Scottish, and I can't really see the cultural similarities with Scandinavia.

I live in Denmark, but I'm from the English Midlands, with family from the North and South.

Food: roast meats with gravy and (if pork) crackling, pickled herring and other preserved fish, cranachan / rød grød med fløde or rice pudding / risalamande. The strong flavours of whisky are closer to aquavit than a cognac or brandy. Beer, especially in excess.

Traditions: maypole dancing, woollen clothes. Guising is similar to some fastelavn activities.

Poor weather including long nights for many months; leads to a more indoor, cosy culture and excitement at summer.

More feeling of equality between people, not being better than other people.

Long history of trade and cultural links across the North Sea, from the Viking age to the present.

I can certainly agree with some of those similarities but most of them I would attribute to the weather combined with a generally working class culture (at least in the North of England, not sure about Scandinavia). As I understand it, prizing roast meats goes back to its rare availability to working class people from the industrial era (where Yorkshire at least derives much of its modern culture). Beer is common to working class areas and whiskey to cold areas. Woollen clothes help with the cold. Social egalitarianism is more of a working class thing.

Not to say there aren't links, there certainly are, but I wouldn't say they are strongly culturally bound compared to our relationship with Western Europe.