Grace Dent: Is this what Ukip thinks we secretly think? That Lenny Henry should go and live in a ‘black country’? It’s time to fight back

First topic message reminder :

The fact that the comedian Lenny Henry is a British man born in Dudley, close to Birmingham, seems – to me at least – something as deep-rooted in the British conscience as other, similar doofus-grade Who Wants To Be a Millionaire questions such as: “Where is the Queen’s Scottish residence?” or “Which country did Paddington Bear come from the deepest, darkest part of?”
It’s impossible as a British person to say how one originally found these things out. One just knows. Still, the fact of Lenny Henry’s country of birth has eluded the Ukip candidate for Enfield, William Henwood, who suggested over the weekend that Lenny Henry should “emigrate to a black country”, if he’s not happy living with “whites”.

Henwood’s oafish mutterings were clearly a rejig of the popular Conversational Racism For Beginners’ phrase: “Get back to your own country.” He is unapologetic and indignant at the fuss. Keeping in mind that Ukip seems to be gaining considerable popularity in this country for being those ruddy great blokes with the brass balls to say what we’re all secretly thinking, it is useful to know what they secretly think we all think.

A recent episode of Channel 4’s Gogglebox – the programme that watches the everyday man watching telly – showed almost every sofa being won over by Farage’s “Tell it as you see it” chutzpah. Presumably, the trickle-down effect of this is buffoons like Henwood treating us to the full majesty of their “everyman” grunts before spinning round with a confident, “Am I right, guys?” For the good of Great Britain we need to keep whacking these prats back into place, like a depressing game of beach-front whack-a-mole, with the vehement shout of, “No, pillock, you’re absolutely wrong.”

The most galling part of Henwood’s musings is that it was in response to an erudite Bafta speech by Lenny Henry about the time-worn British theatrical and televisual problem of representation for non-white actors. Clearly, this discrepancy – the historical and socio-political reasons for it plus the debate of how to rectify the problem – is a topic which could fill many thousands of words. But in its briefest form, there’s a reason that fine British actors like Idris Elba, Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Chiwetel Ejiofor found some of their most rewarding roles in America. I would add some of my own thoughts here, but let’s instead go to William Henwood who has his own great wisdom.

“I think,” he told the BBC when they called to find out if his original tweet was perhaps taken out of context, that “if black people come to this country and don’t like mixing with white people, why are they here? If he [Henry] wants a lot of blacks around, go and live in a black country.”

Henwood, it has been said, is not a racist. Unfortunately, the person saying this is BNP chairman Nick Griffin who jumped in to defend Henwood, saying that “the real racism” was the “bullying by the BBC and by the political elite of ordinary British people, of various parties, who stand up and say what most ordinary people think”.

Nick Griffin also added, for good measure: “We are going to be an abused minority in our own homeland.” This seems a rather extreme reaction to Lenny Henry. I’ve watched him for years in Tiswas as Delbert Wilkins, as Theopolis P Wildebeest, and I’m going to go out on a limb here and say I just don’t think he has violent race-based civil war leadership in him. I think he was just making a point about equality. Henwood’s reaction was a perfect illustration of how far attitudes in this country may need to shift.

For many people, the first time they learnt that Lenny Henry was utterly British was back in 1975 – nearly 40 years ago – when he appeared on the talent show New Faces. As, very typically, the only black person to appear on British TV that evening, Henry would touch on the matter by cracking the joke that Enoch Powell had offered him £1,000 to “go home”. “But it only costs me 50p to get to Dudley!” Henry, just a boy then, would deliver the punchline in a mock-glib, chipper tone brimming with youthful naivety, but in reality it was a dark look at 1970s Britain and the attitudes a black person had to deal with. It’s up to us as voters to spell out to men like William Henwood that this joke isn’t funny any more.


http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/grace-dent-is-this-what-ukip-thinks-we-secretly-think-that-lenny-henry-should-go-and-live-in-a-black-country-its-time-to-fight-back-9297556.html

veya_victaous wrote:

Didge wrote:

Tommy Monk wrote:We were talking about EU open door unlimited immigration and you start posting about British ex pats in USA and Australia!




What a bell end!



And you are trying to compare wealthy retired people who would be welcome anywhere an the world, bringing and spending money, totally self sufficient and not taking jobs from local people, to the millions who arrive here with fuck all and take jobs from the local people, driving down wages and driving up cost of living, putting strain on infrastructure, NHS, housing, roads, schools, local council services etc??????


Leaving the EU will not stop wealthy British retiring in a warmer country, be it EU or not.


We have plenty of wealthy people here from outside the EU, so being in EU or not is not important on that count.


But it will mean we have control on who can or can't come here, and that is a good thing. We want out of The open door unlimited immigration, and the only way to get out of that is to get out of The EU.

PMSL, you made a cock up, it showed many living within the EU, fear more for example like Spain, where there is nearly a million Brits, that is higher than any EU ethnic group here and many of those in Spain great little Britain's of which have you asked the Spanish if they mind?
You see this is where your argument always falls down, you think they are all wealthy, which you assume, but not offer evidence or ignore the fact plenty work.

I suggest you read again:




Australia 1,062,000 (251,000)

USA 829,000 (140,000)

Spain 808,000 (104,000)

Canada 608,000 (157,000)

Ireland 289,000 (126,000

France 253,000 (57,000)

New Zealand 248,000 (54,000)

South Africa 219,000 (38,000)

Germany 97,000 (39,000)

UAE 65,000 (680)

*Table shows numbers of expats in each country, and in brackets the number of pensioners

Source: IPPR, DWP.

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2012/nov/26/where-do-uk-expats-live


I mean look at the numbers in New Zealand, that is 5% of its population, the same for Ireland and Australia, you do not see them whinging and moaning though.and we have plenty of wealthy foreigners here also, but you only look at points one sided, which shows your views always backfire

I whinge about you Bloody Lazy Pommies all the Time        Come here with nothing and steal out Public services, take local jobs, drive down the wages and standards of living and bring their "culture" of not adapting with them        You don't even bring good food with you like every one else does          


 ::troll:: 

Now that had me   

gerber wrote:

veya_victaous wrote:

Didge wrote:


PMSL, you made a cock up, it showed many living within the EU, fear more for example like Spain, where there is nearly a million Brits, that is higher than any EU ethnic group here and many of those in Spain great little Britain's of which have you asked the Spanish if they mind?
You see this is where your argument always falls down, you think they are all wealthy, which you assume, but not offer evidence or ignore the fact plenty work.

I suggest you read again:




Australia 1,062,000 (251,000)

USA 829,000 (140,000)

Spain 808,000 (104,000)

Canada 608,000 (157,000)

Ireland 289,000 (126,000

France 253,000 (57,000)

New Zealand 248,000 (54,000)

South Africa 219,000 (38,000)

Germany 97,000 (39,000)

UAE 65,000 (680)

*Table shows numbers of expats in each country, and in brackets the number of pensioners

Source: IPPR, DWP.

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2012/nov/26/where-do-uk-expats-live


I mean look at the numbers in New Zealand, that is 5% of its population, the same for Ireland and Australia, you do not see them whinging and moaning though.and we have plenty of wealthy foreigners here also, but you only look at points one sided, which shows your views always backfire

I whinge about you Bloody Lazy Pommies all the Time        Come here with nothing and steal out Public services, take local jobs, drive down the wages and standards of living and bring their "culture" of not adapting with them        You don't even bring good food with you like every one else does          


 ::troll:: 

if I did come to Aus and would love to do so, my Banana sandwiches will ensure I do not through immigration.

My drinking buddy moved back eight years ago to Perth and has not looked back since, nor have her children.  Went with a suitcase each.

Had to work -  did so -and living the life of reilly.  Does not want to come back to England.

We already got he best Bananas, don't want them get Foreign diseases and stuff   

veya_victaous wrote:

Didge wrote:
PMSL, you made a cock up, it showed many living within the EU, fear more for example like Spain, where there is nearly a million Brits, that is higher than any EU ethnic group here and many of those in Spain great little Britain's of which have you asked the Spanish if they mind?
You see this is where your argument always falls down, you think they are all wealthy, which you assume, but not offer evidence or ignore the fact plenty work.
I suggest you read again:
Australia 1,062,000 (251,000)
USA 829,000 (140,000)
Spain 808,000 (104,000)
Canada 608,000 (157,000)
Ireland 289,000 (126,000
France 253,000 (57,000)
New Zealand 248,000 (54,000)
South Africa 219,000 (38,000)
Germany 97,000 (39,000)
UAE 65,000 (680)
*Table shows numbers of expats in each country, and in brackets the number of pensioners
Source: IPPR, DWP.
http://www.theguardian.com/money/2012/nov/26/where-do-uk-expats-live
I mean look at the numbers in New Zealand, that is 5% of its population, the same for Ireland and Australia, you do not see them whinging and moaning though.and we have plenty of wealthy foreigners here also, but you only look at points one sided, which shows your views always backfire

I whinge about you Bloody Lazy Pommies all the Time        Come here with nothing and steal out Public services, take local jobs, drive down the wages and standards of living and bring their "culture" of not adapting with them        You don't even bring good food with you like every one else does          
 ::troll:: 

Very funny and all that, but for us to get out there we have to have a skill that is needed and on the list at the embassy, and also have to go through the strict application process and even pay to be assessed and actually prove that we can actually do the skill we claim we have.


You have strict entry controls at customs.


We have a complete open door to unlimited immigration from all EU countries.

And have had massive immigration under labour for 13 years from everywhere else but mostly bringing in unskilled and unwanted 3rd world scum bags.


Bit of a difference wouldn't you say?

Dear me, Tommy has no sense of humour or can see th point Veya was stating, hilarious.

Immigrants make up 5% of Australians


DOH

Tommy Monk wrote:

veya_victaous wrote:

Didge wrote:
PMSL, you made a cock up, it showed many living within the EU, fear more for example like Spain, where there is nearly a million Brits, that is higher than any EU ethnic group here and many of those in Spain great little Britain's of which have you asked the Spanish if they mind?
You see this is where your argument always falls down, you think they are all wealthy, which you assume, but not offer evidence or ignore the fact plenty work.
I suggest you read again:
Australia 1,062,000 (251,000)
USA 829,000 (140,000)
Spain 808,000 (104,000)
Canada 608,000 (157,000)
Ireland 289,000 (126,000
France 253,000 (57,000)
New Zealand 248,000 (54,000)
South Africa 219,000 (38,000)
Germany 97,000 (39,000)
UAE 65,000 (680)
*Table shows numbers of expats in each country, and in brackets the number of pensioners
Source: IPPR, DWP.
http://www.theguardian.com/money/2012/nov/26/where-do-uk-expats-live
I mean look at the numbers in New Zealand, that is 5% of its population, the same for Ireland and Australia, you do not see them whinging and moaning though.and we have plenty of wealthy foreigners here also, but you only look at points one sided, which shows your views always backfire

I whinge about you Bloody Lazy Pommies all the Time        Come here with nothing and steal out Public services, take local jobs, drive down the wages and standards of living and bring their "culture" of not adapting with them        You don't even bring good food with you like every one else does          
 ::troll:: 

Very funny and all that, but for us to get out there we have to have a skill that is needed and on the list at the embassy, and also have to go through the strict application process and even pay to be assessed and actually prove that we can actually do the skill we claim we have.


You have strict entry controls at customs.


We have a complete open door to unlimited immigration from all EU countries.

And have had massive immigration under labour for 13 years from everywhere else but mostly bringing in unskilled and unwanted 3rd world scum bags.


Bit of a difference wouldn't you say?

We have the Same with New Zealand    ::lovebanan:: 

Just hurry up and Make the Nation of Europe already        


And UK immigrants make up 5% of Current Citizens and 25% of current citizens were born in a country other than Australia. over 40% of Australians have at least 1 parent born overseas.
 :asdrnkbudsas: :asdrnkbudsas: :asdrnkbudsas: :asdrnkbudsas: :asdrnkbudsas: :asdrnkbudsas: :asdrnkbudsas: :asdrnkbudsas: 

Where do the Aborigines fit in?

Shady wrote:Where do the Aborigines fit in?

they make up about 3% of the population, so literally there are more people born in England Here than there are Aboriginals         


But of Course some of the Aboriginals would be half caste and have one parent born overseas too