What is it that attracts racists, Islamaphobes, homophobes and general bigots to Nigel Farage?

MaizieD

^I’ve just seen that that black journalist Femi Oluwole who had a ticket and press pass was barred from entering (and therefore reporting) on the Reform rally in Birmingham. No reason given. Heavies just escorted him from the building.^

Femi will be very well known to Reform leaders. I don't think they like his values...

He's a horrible divisive person. His job is hard Left wing Agitation. He doesn't go to listen he goes to deliberately cause trouble. Doesn't talk He shouts. Im so surprised anyone brothers with him. You should listen to him sometimes, I have, much to my detriment, of course he's making it all about him. He seems not to agree with any Government,

Whitewavemark2

I’m unclear why British values in Reforms terms should include getting ride of human rights.

Seems a total contradiction in terms to me.

This is what they will get ride of

You do realise our human rights preceded Blair and his wife.

foxie48

I think the idea of "British values" is a complete myth, if you asked a 100 people to write down a list I think you'd find a lot of difference and if you asked the same of a group of people from different countries you'd probably get the same level of agreement/disagreement. The only time I see our British values being discussed is in relation to immigration. It's just another way of "othering" people ie they don't share our values, they're not like us, they don't integrate into our society, etc etc. What we should be recognising is that these are humans like us with the same needs for shelter, food and safety, that they want the same for their children ie a future and they are doing what man has done for the whole of our existence, ie migrating to have a better future. That said, of course we should have sensible immigration laws with some control but we don't need to de-humanise people as part of that process. We should also stop pretending that they are changing our society in a negative way, they enrich our society both culturally and economically if they are given a chance. I heard a third generation Pakistani man being interviewed in Leeds, he's never been to Pakistan, he doesn't speak Urdu fluently, he had a broad Leeds accent and despite that he says he's still seen as as an immigrant. He's a British citizen, paying his taxes, however, if he were white and his grandparents had come from Ireland he'd be seen as British. It is all about colour.

That’s a very considered post Foxie48 however you are recounting the opinion of just one man eho says he is still seen as an immigrant.

If you are ever in the Leicester area take a drive around the Stoneygate, Evington, Uppingham Road area. You will see huge houses with electric gates, several top of the range vehicles in the drive etc. They are now mainly occupied by very wealthy Asians whose parents came here with nothing from Uganda and have, through sheer hard work, made their millions. They are not seen as immigrants and are very well respected.

Also the Muslim man who spoke from the heart at the Reform rally yesterday is someone who has been born here and made millions or even billions and I don’t think anyone would dare to address him as an immigrant.

zakouma66

*As usual he is playing the race card too*

What does that mean please?

You know full well what it means.

Agree, Foxie.

I follow the I player roll out election coverage everyday on and off on the BBC and it does indeed question all political POV, and I like it because it verifies claims by politicians on stats and sources.

I think there are many who assume "immigrant" in terms of colour of skin or faith despite being 3rd generation. If you are famous then your background is known as you say Primrose and therefore less likely to have the label attached.

Primrose53 Zia Yusef is just one man. Surely the fact that he is very wealthy prevents him being subjected to the casual racism that many people of colour suffer. Your comment with regard to "wealthy Asians " tends to prove this. Not everyone has the ability to make lots of money. Zia's partial scholarship to Hampton School might have given him a "leg up" but he's clearly an extremely hard working and talented man. He's entitled to his opinion but his wealth does not confer him with anymore right to be considered British than the third generation man in Leeds. They are both British, both have the vote and can both have different or the same political views but I can't help thinking that someone who has been privately educated, worked at Goldman Sachs and is worth millions will have had a somewhat different life experience to the man in Leeds.

He’s entitled to his opinion

Quite right. Although you wouldn’t think everyone was entitled to their opinion sometimes when reading GN.

Freya5

Whitewavemark2

I’m unclear why British values in Reforms terms should include getting ride of human rights.

Seems a total contradiction in terms to me.

This is what they will get ride of

You do realise our human rights preceded Blair and his wife.

Sorry?

maddyone

^He’s entitled to his opinion ^

Quite right. Although you wouldn’t think everyone was entitled to their opinion sometimes when reading GN.

Yes, but some will present their opinion as facts when they are not and if you put an opinion on a forum, I think it's fair to expect it might be challenged. I just wish everyone would challenge the opinion though and not the person posting.

It's possible to be a really friendly decent person and still vote for Reform. It was UKIP at the time. I used to be friends with a retired GP who , when he saw an Asian woman walk past in her ethnic apparel would call me to the window to look at "the foreigner". This old man had all his wits about him but was bigoted in that particular way .

I just wish everyone would challenge the opinion though and not the person posting

Agreed. I also prefer a new "opinion" based on an allegation to be backed by a source, within reason, it gives room for better discussion.

Foxie48, I agree with you. In my experience it is about colour. As a Scandinavian I don't stand out and I've be been told on numerous occasions that "we don't mind people like you/you look like one of us".

I agree it’s mainly about colour. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve challenged a bigot (not just someone who wants managed immigration) only to be told, like Greta that s/he doesn’t mean people like my husband. People even think it’s fine to rant about immigrants in front of him, and are taken aback when he points out that he is one, mumbling nonsense like ‘well, you’re not really…’

I would caveat that by saying I know a lot of Eastern Europeans are subject to strong anti-immigrant abuse and xenophobia.

Oh i don’t mean you

Or

Some of my best friends are black

How many times have we heard it?

I felt annoyed when following up an online ad in Express Online for Reform claiming "zero waiting lists in NHS' as the headline but on opening it found no plans.

Farage has said that he thinks the U.K. should have a system similar to the USA

Merion yesterday 22.35
Free speech but only if you agree with Farage. And so it begins. Zia Yusuf should be ashamed.

Perhaps you should be ashamed for such a bigoted post. Zia Yusuf is an inspiring young man who loves his country and all our values and he gave a fantastic speech yesterday

youtu.be/HQHn_RivO2Q?si=s9oEer4OCve0ah4O

Perhaps listen to his speech before making judgements.

Whitewavemark2

Farage has said that he thinks the U.K. should have a system similar to the USA

Well he wouldn't approve of the European model, obviously, which, according to those who've lived in Europe, works much better.

An American colleague visiting the company I worked for in Norway some years ago said (we were discussing health systems over lunch) that as far as he was concerned regarding health insurance, "if you can't pay for it, you can't have it".

My boss asked him "but what about those in poorly paid jobs who can't afford it?". His answer?

"They ged another jaab".

I wish they would all get another job and leave a**holes like him to find empty shelves in supermarkets, coffee shops and bars empty of staff, no one to clean his toilet (or 'bathroom') - or no-one to clean any toilets or bathrooms, no-one to empty his piles of garbage, etc., etc.

American-style Capitalism is brutal.

... and he was pretty ignorant of the world around him, too - he thought we had bears roaming around the streets - in a large city on the west coast of Norway.

And when his secretary, prior to his arrival, spoke to me on the 'phone, I kid you not, she asked me, "do you guys have electricity over there?"

... "no, I'm speaking to you by candlelight furiously cranking a small-generator with my hand the while..."

Which of course I didn't say.

Apologies to any civilised Americans who might be on this thread.

One thing I would point out, seriously, about private health systems is that if you ever need complex and risky surgery - you might well not be able to find a surgeon willing to perform it, regardless of you level of health insurance.

Surgeons value their reputation (naturally) and prefer the more straightforward operations where there's less chance of anything going wrong.

I was on an internet health board relating to my particular problem and this poor woman in the USA was desperately trying to find a surgeon who would perform surgery on her abdominal adhesions as she was in constant pain. One after the other turned her down. It was surgery that I had on the NHS two years earlier.

Writing as a third/fourth generation immigrant - I am half Irish! It is worth remembering that before the wave of, firstly immigrants from the Caribbean, it was the irish who were seen as the alien people with an alien religion (Roman catholic).

I met it at a personal level in the 1960s and my mother could remember signs of lodging house windows saying 'No Irish, No children, No dogs.'

There seems to be something hardwired through societies of always needing to have an underdog to kick.

I gather than in Ireland the rest of the Irish see people from County Kerry as a fair target for contempt.

M0nica

Writing as a third/fourth generation immigrant - I am half Irish! It is worth remembering that before the wave of, firstly immigrants from the Caribbean, it was the irish who were seen as the alien people with an alien religion (Roman catholic).

I met it at a personal level in the 1960s and my mother could remember signs of lodging house windows saying 'No Irish, No children, No dogs.'

There seems to be something hardwired through societies of always needing to have an underdog to kick.

I gather than in Ireland the rest of the Irish see people from County Kerry as a fair target for contempt.

I met it at a personal level in the 1960s and my mother could remember signs of lodging house windows saying 'No Irish, No Children, no dogs'

I distinctly remember those notices in various parts of London where I lived at that time - north London in particular.

Were they actually advertised in newspapers like that? I can't remember. But I do remember seeing them written on bits of cardboard and pinned to the door of houses where there were rooms to let.

My 16 year old grandson found it difficult to believe when I told him.

Thanks for reminding us of this MOnica, within our life times. I was thinking of this earlier, and also reflecting on the posts earlier about ‘wealthy Asians who came from Uganda with nothing, worked hard’ etc. They weren’t received so positively by many when the arrived, they were the subject of too many immigrants coming here using all our services when they’ve never contributed etc

I was in an expensive country pub/ restaurant with a friend in 1980. She was an Ugandan of Indian origin who arrived with 4 siblings and her parents from Uganda. We were Probation Officers on a work trip. She turned and commented to the man in the queue behind us. He looked horrified, ignored her and stepped back. It was the first time I’d seen such racism. She said don’t worry about it, we’re used to it.
Incidentally two brothers were pharmacists, a sister a doctor

I agree we seem to need an underdog community

Primrose53

zakouma66

As usual he is playing the race card too

What does that mean please?

You know full well what it means.

He always does.

My family on both sides served in the army. Several died in WW1. My father was an army officer. I used to read in 'Letters to the paper' and had it said to my face that Roman catholics, like the Irish should not be allowed to serve in the army bcause if they had to choose between their country and the pope they would always put the pope first.

Setting aside I couldn't think of any situation where the two (pope and army command) would be eye balling each other. It was such a slur on the generations of irish people who had served the British Crown faithfully and loyally for over 200 years.

40% of Wellington's army in the peninsula war and at Waterloo were Irish and Irish regiments served in 2 world wars, losing their lives and winning gallantry awards.

The Irish history is so reminiscent of the heroism and loyalty shown by groups from what were called ‘the colonies’.
I remain stunned that the awful Lawrence Fox suggested the film 1918 was being woke and historically inaccurate by showing one - yes just one - Sikh soldier