Let's be fair, England isn't quite as good as it thinks it is. The good(?) people of England, the unwashed and somewhat slightly dazed decided last week that we didn't want to be part of Europe. Cue the ensuing chaos in the markets, employers holding investment back, a Tory party still riven by division but being usurped by a Labour party that wants ideological socialism whilst ignoring the moderate centre-left and has set about slashing it's own political wrists in public. Add to that the seemingly unhealable divisions between London and England, England and Scotland, England and Northern Ireland, Leave/Remain, North and South and now old and young and the UK is rapidly and inevitably on a trajectory to become the Divided Kingdom (DK).
In fairness to those who voted leave but aren't racist or xenophobic they voted for what they saw as longer term gain. I don't agree with this viewe but for many it was an alternative. However this turmoil was something they must have known would would happen and were happy presumably to accept. The far right morons were always going to see this vote to leave the EU as a ratification of their hate policies against anyone 'not English'. You see it is the English that hold the majority of the far right within its borders. England is the country steeped in some sort of quasi-rose tinted early 20th century vision of life, where black faces were rare, foreign accents even rarer, everyone had jobs, could leave their front doors open etc etc...
However of course, what we actually had then was suppressed women, poor pay, little in the way of workers rights, young people expected to do as they were told and extreme poverty. Let's not forget of course, wars.....something we seeming enjoy although something that was necessary on at least 2 occasions as we led the fight to allow others to be free. However, challenges to the status quo were dimly viewed and society was built on class and wealth even more so than today. Back then the rich and poor divide was even more stark as very few were 'middle class'. The divide in the early 20th century was much more geared towards upper class or working class. Life back then, for the majority was about survival rather than living.
Without a huge history lesson in the Labour movement, the liberalisation of society and all of the socio-economic changes during the latter part of the 20th century led us to todays comparatively wealthy situation. Today life is still challenging but with greater opportunity. Not enough opportunity, but much more than seen in the 20th century. And a lot of that came from being in the EU. Free movement to work elsewhere was applied equally. The workers of the UK had more locations and choices than ever before. The 'price' was other people could come here. Yet we saw this as a bad thing, despite the seemingly insatiable need for cheap plumbers and builders, for fruit pickers, for catering and bar staff and all of the other lower paid jobs that the indigenous people thought were below them.
But England didn't like that. Those pesky migrants came here to take our jobs and claim benefits. Make your mind up folks.....
And the right wing grew. And is growing.
The worst of this was the growth of UKIP. A pseudo racist xenophobic collection of swivel eyed loons appealed on the lowest common denominator issues of immigration, alleged lack of border control, alleged lack of control over laws all whilst hiding their desire to privatise the NHS, abolish the BBC and any number of other policies which would undermine 'Britishness' more than the EU has ever allegedly done.
And yet England bought it. Rational good people, staunch Tories and yes, some Labourites bought this arse gravy. So much so the Tory party became spooked and obsessed by these issues to the point where it's leader, having outright won an election with a majority then acted like a coward and agreed a referendum.
Instead of trying to be socially progressive and spread a positive message the immigration/migrant/benefits/job stealing/law dictating meme grew and grew. But only in England, where a national identity had been lost over decades by its innate arrogance and world view of ruling over its neighbours and ex-colonies in The Commonwealth. You only have to step across the border to find Scottish identity immediately, with no racist connotations. The same in Northern Ireland and Wales. Fierce patriotism and pride in abundance, but no distrust of others. Quite the opposite in fact, a warm welcome and a smile. England, like the grumpy bastard at the party refused to take this on board. It had it's scapegoats for its problems, none of which were it's fault but all the fault of others. The press barons of Murdoch, Rothermere, Desmond and Dacre fed this with their daily column inches of distrust, bigotry, fear, xenophobia and hatred, all the time injecting more and more poison into the English system. Was it any surprise that sickness descended? An MP shot for her liberal beliefs by a terrorist, yes a terrorist... not a loner. not a crazed mentally ill man. A terrorist. A Polish centre, the heart of a community covered in hate graffiti. Far right posters portraying images of gay people being hung on the streets. And it continues as the far right, the ill-educated, the disenfranchised now see 17m people were on their side. They weren't, but that's what these people see.
And yet England bought it. Rational good people, staunch Tories and yes, some Labourites bought this arse gravy. So much so the Tory party became spooked and obsessed by these issues to the point where it's leader, having outright won an election with a majority then acted like a coward and agreed a referendum.
Instead of trying to be socially progressive and spread a positive message the immigration/migrant/benefits/job stealing/law dictating meme grew and grew. But only in England, where a national identity had been lost over decades by its innate arrogance and world view of ruling over its neighbours and ex-colonies in The Commonwealth. You only have to step across the border to find Scottish identity immediately, with no racist connotations. The same in Northern Ireland and Wales. Fierce patriotism and pride in abundance, but no distrust of others. Quite the opposite in fact, a warm welcome and a smile. England, like the grumpy bastard at the party refused to take this on board. It had it's scapegoats for its problems, none of which were it's fault but all the fault of others. The press barons of Murdoch, Rothermere, Desmond and Dacre fed this with their daily column inches of distrust, bigotry, fear, xenophobia and hatred, all the time injecting more and more poison into the English system. Was it any surprise that sickness descended? An MP shot for her liberal beliefs by a terrorist, yes a terrorist... not a loner. not a crazed mentally ill man. A terrorist. A Polish centre, the heart of a community covered in hate graffiti. Far right posters portraying images of gay people being hung on the streets. And it continues as the far right, the ill-educated, the disenfranchised now see 17m people were on their side. They weren't, but that's what these people see.
No wonder Scotland and the others are distancing themselves from England. They now see a chance for independence themselves. A right to self control and self determination, succeed or fail. And who could blame them? Would you want to live next to such a bullying, nasty and arrogant neighbour? One that tells you whats best for you. And how can England argue with their independence.....perhaps they could try Project Fear...I hear that works out well generally! I applaud and support the independence movements in all of the other UK neighbours. I wish them luck in their struggle to do to the UK what the UK, led by England did to Europe.
As for England.....if ever something summed up the pitiful state of the nation, then the football team showed us. Disjointed, lack of leadership, finger pointing, blaming others, confused, bemused, sad and unhappy. Parallels all around.
One can only hope that once set adrift it can find what it needs. That the huge amount of good people in England can find a way and political system (proper PR) of making sure everyone is represented. That it can re-educate to remove the far right trend, remove the loathsome Farage and his hateful party from public life and maybe, just maybe one day ask the rest of the world if it can come out to play again.
One can only hope that once set adrift it can find what it needs. That the huge amount of good people in England can find a way and political system (proper PR) of making sure everyone is represented. That it can re-educate to remove the far right trend, remove the loathsome Farage and his hateful party from public life and maybe, just maybe one day ask the rest of the world if it can come out to play again.
Later Mugs, GJ
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