PERHAPS the most lasting image and memory of last night's Rochester & Strood By-election, will be the effect of a Parliamentary Opposition front-bencher's use of that most risky of political tools, the "tweet" ...
Was image from #Rochester, snobbery?
Here's the image. Unlike the original tweeted image, I've obscured the resident's vehicle registration number. The issue of privacy was later cited by Mr Ware.
Tags for Forum Posts: image from Rochester, snobbery?
Michael. I'm afraid the English values you quote never really existed.
British society has always been stitched up to benefit those at that top. Since Thatcher a massive underclass has grown up in the UK, now very stable and in it's 3rd, 4th generation.
It's unpleasant for you middle classies even to think about it.. but PMs and leaders of political parties who have never done anything 'decent' (in the eyes of the public) in their lives apart from politics is not the way to get more inclusive politics.
Michael, if you feel that the MP was well-motivated, do you think she was wrong to have resigned?
The tweet by a leading New Labour politician was sent in a context that is 100% party-political. You claim not to know about snobbery (amongst other epithets that have been used), but is it possible that this tweet could have party political ramifications, nationally – but possibly locally as well?
She didn't stand down, she was pushed!
It's our age Michael. Anyone not old enough to remember the 70s and early 80s are more likely to associate the St George's flag with Rooney than Tyndall.
Seriously, the rise of UKIP worries me. The comparisons between it and the fledgling NSDAP (even sounds similar) in Germany are a concern to me.
Both born out of a financial crisis - 1929** & 2008, seeking to push blame for the situation on an external international institution and to withdraw support from it, then the League of Nations, now the EU. Then the internal scapegoating of parts of society. In the 30s the Jews, now immigrants, gays etc. Trashing the political classes, Hitler promised instead of 30 parties, there would only be one. Pushing against the general liberalisation of society and more seriously, purporting to speak for the small man and the indigenous population.
We know how much we all cringe, when we see and hear old clips of n+zis praising and having pride in the German race etc.. Is that any different to what UKIP is now doing with the English 'brand' ? Actually, the 'hanging out' of flags to show support or unhappiness with society was also a phenomenen in Weimar Germany (red flags against swastikas) .. that continues today.. Anti nuclear flags etc.,
Also very worrying, is that like in Germany of the 30s, the other parties seem powerless to counter the tide. Even trying to outdo the NSDAP/UKIP in policies. I have no doubt that this new British party has fascist tendencies and if we/you are not careful, it will do enormous harm to the standing of the country.
**the NSDAP was around a bit earlier but gained support through the financial crisis.
Farage is more Oswald than Adolf and Britain got a lot closer in 1936 to fascism than we are today but the next general election will be the true testing ground - UKIP have to unseat existing MPs rather than borrow a couple of incumbent already far right Tories. Should they do that and then be invited into coalition with party unable to command a majority then we may have more cause for concern.
Thanks for the link LIz.. I recall in my childhood, that resentment of Jews was very prevalent in working class culture in North London.
Even so, Woodberry Down Bakers at Manor House, a Jewish bakery and open on Sundays -wow!! was gratefully used by the locals.
OK, this a bit OT, but a glimpse of the Woodberry Down Bakers from my childhood. On the right of the photo, seen here in 1961, with brand new Routemasters on routes 127 Waltham Cross > Tottenham>Victoria & 253 Aldgate > Tottenham Court Road. The other shop is a branch of Pearks the grocers :-)
Now, resentment of immigration in England appears to be greatest in areas where there isn't much!
The successes of kippers are closer to the successes of the National Front (who commanded a lot of working class support) in the period 1974-79 in polling large numbers of votes, taking a few council seats, but more importantly tainting the political discourse by pushing politicians and the media into ever more right-wing pronouncements on immigration and multi-culturalism. The headlines when Britain took in the Ugandan Asians [pdf] are interchangeable with headlines today regarding Roma/Polish/Romanian/Bulgarian (etc) mass immigration - same hysteria, same lies, same effect. Of course the Daily Mail has never shied away from such hysteria whether discussing people fleeing Tsarist pogroms, or Germany in 1938.
Kippers are tapping into that same mentality only they are trying to control the image so less bovver boots and marches but the same language conjuring up fear of crime and otherness, 'swamping' (to quote Mrs Thatcher), 'pride in Britain' and disparaging of foreignness etc.
Anyway, here's how one German town outwitted the Neo-Nazis this week who like to march there in memory of Rudolf Hess. This is genius.
In Glasgow, in the 60s, there was a lot of resentment about Pakistanis buying Victorian houses, doing them up and filling them with family and friends.
Didn't stop us nipping across the road to the corner shop at 11 pm on a Sunday for a packet of fags
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