They Must Be Barking...

During the past week, thanks perhaps to the BBC's controversial new 'WHITE' series, I've felt increasingly saddened by what white, working-class Britain has become. In my younger days of political learning, when all was not certain and everything was new, I had initially understood the working classes to be the most moral and important of all voting peoples. Get them on your side, and your sure to be in office in no time; but my views on what they currently are have changed somewhat since.

Last nights episode of 'WHITE' focused on the borough of Barking in East London, where in the 2006 elections 12 BNP councillors were elected to represent a large part of the boroughs white working class, making it the second largest party there. The story focused on the views of the working classes, and of the social struggle many consider themselves to be in. Many new residents of the borough were of African and Eastern-European origin, and had (according to long-term residents) not properly integrated.

The documentary focused also on an elderly man named Monty, who originated from Poland and had set-up a shop in the borough. He had met a younger Ugandan lady in Barking, with whom he had become friends, and the two were now living together; her acting as his carer. Monty, it was later revealed, had spent 5 years in Auschwitz, were he had been left to suffer in horrific conditions before the liberation of the camps in 1945. It was apparent that the memories of those days haunted him still, in the days when segregation had resulted in the massacre of 6 million Jews.

The story then turned to the campaigning of BNP supporters in a Barking street, where leaflets and newspapers were being handed out to white, and in one case mixed race, passers by. It struck me as sad, that the core of Labour's past working-class supporters, were now turning to a party which actively promotes community segregation, and associates with holocaust deniers. I fail to understand how the election of a racist party can improve community cohesion, and I don't really think those voters do either.

The reason, I believe, the BNP have had so much success in areas such as this in recent years is because voters feel their opinions no longer matter to the party they voted in Government. The aftermath of recently increased immigration levels, and the vast cultural changes inspired by the speeches of Roy Jenkins 30 years ago, have resulted in an 'ignored child' reaction from the working-classes. A reaction, which if ignored for even longer, could get increasingly worse. The National Socialist Party of Germany focused on the concerns of the working-classes when rising to power, largely inspired by the ethos of Communist strategies; and members of the British National Party know this all to well.

I do not see the white working class people of Barking as the sort to be agreeing with ethnic-cleansing, far from it, but rather as a misguided, misrepresented generation, who often feel alone and ignored in a Britain which they are not familiar with. Similar voting patterns can be seen in areas of Northern-England, such as Oldham and Burnley, were community segregation has led to the BNP gaining seats there; even though most ethnic communities are third and fourth generation immigrants, and are by all accounts British citizens.

The truth is that Britain is successfully multi-racial, but unsuccessfully multi-cultural, and parties like the BNP have tried to blur the two together, basically saying that race and culture go hand-in-hand. That is a lie. The notion that Britain should be a vast hub of different cultures is preposterous, it can only lead to tension, but the notion that it should be a hub of different races is not so far-fetched. Just look at Britain in the days of the Empire, when India, West Africa, and the Caribbean were all considered British, as were their peoples. It is not plausible to say that Britain should ever be, or should ever have been 'all-white'. And culturally, just go to Kenya and ask for a cup of tea, or observe the way people say 'Chop-Chop' to hurry workers into action, the cultural effects Britain has had there still today is huge.

The solving of the mistake of multi-culturalism is one of the most valuable things we could do for the country. It could prevent terrorism, and the recruiting of radical Islamic groups, and could also prevent parties like the BNP gaining seats in councils. Greater integration and cohesion could result from having a culturally common ground, and racism could be routed out all together from all communities. The sense of community we used to have in Britain could once again be implemented if we were not so separated by different cultures.

The extent of segregation can even be observed today as news of an Anglican Priest who was attacked in a 'faith-hate' incident in Tower Hamlets on Wednesday is being reported by the BBC. It has been reported that Canon Michael Ainsworth, 57, was assaulted by two Asian youths at his church, while another looked on and jeered. An attack which I suspect was probably provoked by the desire to culturally/religiously-clense the area in question. A commonality of many communities feeling as though they must defend their insular, culturally concentrated areas from outside influence. Tower Hamlets is known to have a high population of Asian Muslims and Indians, but many white communities are also doing exactly the same. Hostilities on the grounds of race and faith have increased hugely in the past few years, coming from all sides of the fence.

Overall, the BBC's 'WHITE' series is provoking debate where before there was none. I hate to sound reactionary, or indeed say that I am so impressionable as to blog on the concerns highlighted in a BBC documentary, but the truth is most people do it all the time. Newspapers, News channels, and even fellow bloggers are affected by the products of the BBC every day; whether it's the 10 o'clock News, Eastenders or Blue Peter, all seek to provoke reactionary debate. Al-Jazeera claim to be 'setting the agenda' but I have to disagree, after all the BBC are far more well-funded.

Only time will tell what Britain will become in the next few decades, and the decisions we make now are key to the well-being of our children. We can look, with optimism, for change in the way seperate communities react to eachother, but I sincerely hope most of all that white working class Britain will not fall victim to those who might want to put people like Monty back in Auschwitz. Vote BNP? They must be barking...

(Picture 1: A butcher's window in Barking.)
(Picture 2: Holocaust survivor Monty, still young at heart.)
(Picture 3: BNP campaigners on a Barking street.)

Just Like Coca-Cola.

Amidst the aparent growing concern in the past month over the comments of Morrissey in an NME interview, and the speaking of David Irving and Nick Griffin at the Oxford Union, several questions about the identity of Britain have once again been raised. The topic of immigration is very much like a shaken-up bottle of Coca-Cola, every now and again you unscrew the top just a little bit and all hell breaks loose. People panic, thinking back to the horrific events of Nazi Germany, and the tragic consequences caused by the extreme and intolerant opposition of a minority group. There is a huge media frenzy, and before any subsequent discussion on the issue can take place, the top is swiftly sealed again, forcing the pressure back inside, ensuring we forget all about it. Most hugely important issues are worked out by questioning followed by discussion, the assessing of overall competence in an area and its subsequent improvement via communication. Failing to reach this vital level on any matter could potentially have severe repercussions if ignored for long enough, and why is this issue any different? That's what parliament is for.

To quote Morrissey (a resident of Rome):

"Britain's a terribly negative place. And it hammers people down and it pulls you back and it prevents you. Also, with the issue of immigration, it's very difficult because although I don't have anything against people from other countries, the higher the influx into England the more the British identity disappears."

This comment has been interpreted in different ways by members of the public and free press, but assuming it was not of a malicious nature, perhaps we can examine in greater detail if and why this is in fact the case. I doubt very much that the majority of immigrants heading to Britain have it in their minds to destroy its identity, be they Australian or Ugandan, or indeed to kick up a fuss at the celebrating of St Georges Day as similar patron saints are celebrated elsewhere in Britain; but the failure to rekindle British Identity as it once was has led to the blaming of immigrants as the sole cause for the decline in our celebrating of being British. Leaving this to happen is a gross failure of the Governments public duty, leaving its people vulnerable to predator parties like the British National Party, and to the obsurd claims of David Irving. The union of Britain (and indeed the Commonwealth) has always depended on the uniting of it's people through celebration. Even when Queen Victoria died in 1901, the strong sense of patriotism of the British People was not lost, and every year on Empire Day thousands would flock to the streets in celebration. Celebration of Britishness is something the far-left would not like to see among the British people today for whatever reason, but if we take into account the union of the people of the United States, we will begin to see a model to which we can aspire to. Ask most Americans who its first President was, or of the Boston Tea Party and they'll be more than happy to tell you all about it. Go to Washington one 4th of July and see the unity of the people chanting in the streets. By contrast, ask most Britains (particularly the English) who their countrys first Monarch was, or indeed of the Battle of Edgehill, or even go London on St Georges Day and my point begins to take form.

One of the consequences in the Governments apparent failure to unite Britain is the unpopularity of the English in Scotland and Wales, and their subsequent hightened patriotism which is in essence based on their unhealthy dislike for the English. It is as though we have failed to unite our islands, and therefore its extra-regional peoples have decided to unite themselves, much to our disadvantage. To make matters worse, the continuation of ignoring the topic of British Identity could eventually mean you would need a passport to enter Scotland or Wales. The SNP and Plaid Cymru are both already succeeding to use this failure of our Government to their own political advantages, how long will it be before the two become seperate nations entirely. Scottish and Welsh schools openly teach their native languages without problem, and celebrate St Andrew and St David every year to ensure their children can identify with the land and people around them from an early age. These are the islands which we all live on together, and by not sharing that common value we are defining the future of the country as a whole.

Although it has been suggested, the celebrating of diversity in Britain would be a disaster, in essence we would be segregated as people, and segragation is the problem. The decline of British Identity is not all about immigration, but by the dubbing down of our own traditions out of fear we might be labelled as racists; yet if we all celebrated Britain together in the faces of the French and Irish our unity as a British people could once again flourish. In all fairness we have already seen this, and an increased desire by the British public to celebrate Britishness in recent years. To watch the BBC Proms on its final night is living proof that unity can succeed, it's just a tragedy that the BBC has organised the event to national proportions as oppose to the Government, succeeding in uniting Britain for one night a year.

Perhaps British Identity is currently being lost, and perhaps in 20 years the once great Commonwealth or indeed the very title of being 'British' will no longer be in existence. Can you seriously imagine the seperation of the United States into seperate countries within the next two decades, due to a lack of unionism among its people? The very thought is almost humourous to conceive.

Immigration, union, national identity, perhaps we need to go from Coca-Cola to Evian, and as ironic as it may sound I will finish with one of Labours most used phrases: 'United we stand, divided we fall'

Please Mr Brown take notes, or someone else just might...