North v South - culture wars

* They do p me off the Tories, they still think of the north as cap doffers, when actually they are hard working people.*

Jake Berry is a proud scouser

So he knows a bit about the north

I think what this proves is sooner or later MPs will not be saying anything that may hit the public domain

It was a daft thing to say but stereotypes exist for a reason

But times change

Jake should have realised this wouldn't go down well in today's society

I have lived in both the north and south of England. In both areas I found culture and wealth but also poverty and general deprivation.

When I lived in the north of England, people used to say to me that they thought southerners were all posh etc. I used to say there were plenty of people in the south who were far from posh.

I liked living in both areas of England.

Absolutely!!!

I'm surprised at people in Rossendale electing Jake Berry to represent them - the people of East Lancashire have far more nous than that.

This idea about North v. South is another Tory distraction, so we can blame one another.

Riverwalk

JenniferEccles

Doesn’t anyone else think that this was very probably said as a joke, a tongue in cheek kind of remark, knowing full well what the reaction would be?

Never mind, another excuse to have a pop at a Tory.

Watch the film clip - he's deadly serious!

"Our Glyndebourne, Royal Ballet, Royal Opera House, Royal Shakespeare company would be Blackburn Rovers, Accrington Stanley, Barrow & Sunderland"

Just shows how little he knowswhen he includes Blackburn Rovers and Accrington Stanley but misses Burnley.
I'm a Burnley fan who happens to love going to the Theatre as well!

They do p me off the Tories, they still think of the north as cap doffers, when actually they are hard working people.
I live in the SE of London. And London has lots of different cultures and there are comments made on the subject.
London is like New York very diverse.
They haven’t a clue.

Where ignorance is bliss springs to mind.

Dyed in the wool Southerner here who wouldn't watch a ballet or opera if you paid me to do so! Not particularly keen on football either but at least I understand it. Well, until you get to the offside rule.

We lived in Scotland but where visiting grandparents in North Wales. Dad stopped to get petrol, and decided to buy a pennant Saying Dwygyfylchi. He was chuffed because he was charged half price for it because he could pronounce it!!

As a northerner, football-supporter, and ballet/theatre lover (we are fortunate to have many good venues for all of those locally) I took it as a very badly-expressed point to say that financial support had willingly and plentifully been given to London (London Transport, for example) and the Arts during these troubled times and, it seems, begrudgingly and as an afterthought, if at all, to the North and Sport. It did also seem a huge and incorrect general comment to say all the sport lovers were in the North, or that only northern areas seem to be low priority (the South-West and Kent for example which have been locked down with everyone else despite Covid cases being practically non-existent). As televised sport seems to be being used as bread and circuses at the moment, perhaps the government should show its gratitude by proffering assistance of some sort. At least the comment got people talking about the inequality in financial help to equally deserving areas.
I probably expressed myself badly too!

Dyed in the wool northerner here and wouldn't watch a football match if you paid me to do so. Absolutely adore ballet and opera and have a professional classical musician for a son. (Though he's struggled to make a living this year that's for sure) His profession contributes to the economy as much as any other so why should they not be supported the same as everyone else?
The amount of money some footballers get paid is immoral imo.

I've just remembered, my Hermes deliverer last week was wearing a Garsington Opera fleece. He used to be a stage hand there, I said we loved opera, but Garsington was out of our price range and he gave me a very useful tip about getting tickets for dress rehearsals, which are much cheaper.

I think some of these stereotypes did apply in the past, but nowadays when people and their jobs move round the country, tastes and interests, like accents have relaxed and melded.

That's the kind of statement that the term 'sweeping generalisation' was made for, or 'ignoramus'.

I am a Geordie living in Surrey and when anyone asks me why I live "down here" I always say I came to do missionary work!

petra

Riverwalk
Not that long ago you stereotyped Essex girls. What you described could be found in any northern town.

No I didn't Petra - you may have misunderstood my post.

My DIL is from Essex and I would have no reason to stereotype anyone.

I was merely pointing out that on the tube at Liverpool Street station there were two separate sets of girls on a night out - one group of four all wore masks, and the other group didn't. I was remarking that even those from the same demographic had different approaches. There had been much talk of various communities not obeying rules, as though everyone from any group would behave the same.

That was the point I was making.

As a northerner I am not remotely offended

I agree it was lazy stereotyping but I've just seen it being discussed on Jeremy Vine and they were all in agreement he was attempting to be amusing.

But no. I am not offended.

I am not keen on opera. Or ballet. I hate football.

But I refuse to jump on any offended bandwagon.

This country is getting very good at taking offence

We'd get gold medals if it was turned into an Olympic sport

What about the East? Midlands? There’s more to England than the North and the South. I’ve lived in all areas and it’s about time we got over ourselves. Sometimes there’s a little bit of inverted snobbery surrounding it.
However I do feel London and surrounds is what is described as the South and even I get annoyed by what comes out from Westminster regarding up t’north.

I saw him interviewed this morning on GMB did any if you see it?

What world does Jake Berry live in? He’s an insult to northerners.

I’d love to stay and discuss this, but the whippets need their walk and I need to get some black pudding for tea.

Riverwalk
Not that long ago you stereotyped Essex girls. What you described could be found in any northern town.

Mooney59

I understand people have different tastes than me and believe that in 100 years people won’t believe that people paid extortionate amounts of money to watch people dance on tippy toes or watch someone singing (use the term loosely) in a language they don’t understand. However what boils my blood is them asking for public money to stay alive!

You do know don't you that ballet is over 400 years old. That it has adapted and changed and dance companies now use many styles. There is now a movement to develop dancing for older people www.scottishballet.co.uk/tv/health-fitness-ballet-for-55-barre
Opera is available in many languages.
The Arts bring a huge amount of money into the country.

As someone from London the Eastend in particular May I say that jellied eels is an Eastend delicacy not necessarily a southern one. I have heard comments that Westminster doeskin care about the North only the South and my personal response is even living in London I never felt that any government was truly looking out for me or anyone North, South, East or West.

I keep saying that "they" live in another world..

so where am I then? Birmingham, Midlands.. just wondering

I am a Northerner. Love theatre and the arts and so do my family. Manchester and many other northern towns and cities are very "cultural" and I, for one, take offence!