British Politics Thread.

[eldargal]

Trouble is, the 'no immagrunts in are country' bunch show a disturbing lack of historical context.

Not only is it shockingly hypocritical to bang on about 'coming over here, taking our jobs' given our Imperial history, but they long for a Britain which, put simply, has never actually existed. England in particular has been incredibly multicultural ever since Roman times.

A 'culturally pure' England is a Daily Mail invention, based on their whitewashing of history. From the Polish pilots who fought in The Battle of Britain to the long history of Britain playing host to migrants, it's all ignored in the name of shocking bigotry.

There were 50,000 black English in the 1500s who could trace their ancestry back far enough that even under virtually absolute monarchy they couldn't legally be deported. There were Anglo-Indian gentry in the 18th-19th century, there were black suburbs in nineteenth century London etc. We've always taken people in like you say. Farages' ****ing great grandfather was German and his fathers family is descended from Huguenots (hence the name) who came here in the 17th century.

[Psychosplodge]

Isn't their point that the numbers were a lot lower historically than having the entire town of Rotherham immigrate annually?

[eldargal]

Proportionally it's impossible to say, we don't have the kind of records to work out what % of population it was before. Like until the 18th century we didn't even have a concept of race, skin colour wasn't a big deal. Religion was and to some extent nationality. So you could have trade ships from Africa with African Christians coming here and some of those traders and their families might stay and in the census they become just more English peeps. They were probably more accepted than French migrants could be because at this time we didn't have white supremacy as a Thing. But we are so accustomed to viewing the world through racial and white supremacy tinted glasses (now I'm not saying everyone is a white supremacist) that we find it inconceivable to look at our own history like that.
So Farage gets accepted as English because he is white, Idris Elba doesn't because he is black. My friend Asha has more parents and grandparents born in the UK than me and she is still viewed as Other while I get accepted as English etc.
Mobile populations and migration are not modern trends, they just have a narrative built around them in an unprecedented way.

[Mr Mystery]

Yup.

Entire right wing anti-immigration argument is based on scare-mongering.

I recall in the run up to the European elections Mr Farage saying 'I wouldn't want Romanian neighbours' and when asked what he meant? 'You know precisely what I mean' was his response. Typical racist bellend - doesn't even have the courage of convictions to say it in public.

[Psychosplodge]

So after last nights leaders Q&As I'm surprised no ones pulled Red Ed on his homophobic joke.

[CoffeeGrunt]

I don't watch TV so I missed it. A quick Google shows nothing on the 'nets about it. What was the joke?

[Psychosplodge]

Snide remark about Cameron and Clegg in a darkened room

Very tabloidesque look at the gays wink wink nudge nudge

[CoffeeGrunt]

Hmm, it'd depend on the wording for that, it seems to imply they're in bed together politically more than being homophobic. I dunno, I can't find a clip/transcript of the joke itself to judge it on. :/

[Psychosplodge]

No it was definitely a gay joke, he even seemed to pause for laughter that didn't come, though it was of the type I wouldn't have noticed before EG's and Kirsten's threads.

[Kirsten]

educating the masses