We'd all like to think that the days of signs warning away certain 'undesirables' were a thing of the past but one thing the UK has been unfortunately riven with in the noughties is immigration obsessed ignorance.The BBC has done a wonderful exposé on the return of 'No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs' thinking, which seems to have become, in Boston, Lincolnshire at least: 'No Poles, No Portuguese, No Muslims'. Which is a funny combination but not if I was a migrant worker in Boston, Lincolnshire that happened to be Polish, Portuguese or a Muslim.
Estate agents it seems are breaking the Race Relations Act of 1976 by discriminating against non-British tenants and pretending that property is taken when the Polish undercover reporter requests info on it but lo and behold, when the British chap strolls in it is available.
The funniest bit is the second video of secret filming, where the pretend daft racist landlord (after requesting no Poles or Portuguese) asks if they can make sure no Muslim tenants are allowed to rent his flat, where upon the poor estate agent says yes and then equates being a Muslim to being an animal and then smoking.
There is a comedy sketch there somewhere...
It doesn't surprise me that Boston in Lincolnshire is a focus of this report, some of you may recall I have much experience of Boston, it was the target of my cross the country walk for Coast to Coast and a town I have performed in often. Choice quotes about it include (from May 2007):
"famous for being the home to a legion of inbred people, you know, three fingers, webbed feet and eyes too close together...I still don't like Lincolnshire very much, not very racially integrated and full of deformed people who have sex with their own relatives."And this gem from September 2007:
"As you may remember, I've performed in Boston before and things haven't changed although the volume of in-bred gypsy people with webbed feet and three fingers on each hand seems to have been replaced by refugees from Eastern Europe who smell funny.
God I hate Lincolnshire."It seems things have only got worse in my absence.
Saw the report on BBC News. Outrageous.
ReplyDeleteAnd it didn't look like anyone's gonna be punished.
These ****s need naming and shaming to put them right!
Shamik, I do believe that some of the agents are named and shamed in the article and they have made their excuses but of what use that is, is anything going to be done I wonder?
ReplyDeleteI used to live in Cheshire & It's pretty much the same....The 'waves' of Irish ,West Indian & Asian immigration always passed them by.So the recent Polish influx really blew their gentle minds............
ReplyDeleteYour right,nothing changes only the Cast.
It's a real shame Tony, a real shame, funnily enough we're reprising Poles Apart come November, we're at the Lowry and then London.
ReplyDeletePeace.
Does UK have formal civil rights law?
ReplyDeleteYou mean aside from the law I've mentioned in the blog post?
ReplyDeleteYes.
I congratulate the BBC on the report which has uncovered this behaviour - but people shouldn't sit back and gloat thinking that it would not occur in their neighbourhoods - this is a national issue and one that should be addressed nationally.
ReplyDeleteI'm from Boston, Lincolnshire and I think that it's wrong to libel an entire town, and county as being racist. Boston in Lincolnshire is a great place to live in and work in.
Hi there Boston Anonymous, thanks for stopping by and your comment.
ReplyDeleteI for one have no doubt it occurs elsewhere...Spalding for example and Sleaford.
Only kidding, it is a national issue but as for the joys of Lincolnshire, as a Notts lad I need some more convincing of that!
I'm afraid i've never spent much time in Notts...so can't compare! but thanks for making me smile with your reply...
ReplyDeleteAnd exactly what business is it of yours or anyone else what people choose to do with their OWN property?
ReplyDelete"And exactly what business is it of yours or anyone else what people choose to do with their OWN property?"
ReplyDeleteThis is precisely the kind of attitude that makes Republicans in America such bastards. If your "property" is an island somewhere far from other people, then you might have a point. But once people start living together in groups, especially at the level of density one gets in a city, then there have to be rules about behavior anyplace where such behavior affects other people around you. The point of those rules should be to keep friction between people to a minimum, not to give certain groups an advantage and to shove other groups down. Prosperity for all comes from peace and harmony.
Few benefit from conflict, but many benefit from community.
Good article which we have excerpted on HOPE not hate, Norfolk.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
Boston Anoymous:
ReplyDeleteOn a serious note, Boston has a lovely market square and the stump is impressive, it's nicer than Sleaford but Spalding has a better chippy and the river runs through it.
You should cross the border in Notts, it's a fine county.
Buckarfuckingroo:
Are you really that much of an idiot? Private landlords have to abide by all kinds of laws, regarding fire alarms, fire escapes and that the gas fittings are checked etc, nevermind insurance.
I mean, YOU can be a racist and stop Poles, Portuguese and Muslims coming into your house but if you're a landlord such racism is ILLEGAL you divot.
Thanks to Dave for also making this point.
HNH Norfolk Team:
Cool, thanks.
OK, but why straight to the personal insults? I got my opinion you got yours…
ReplyDeleteBy the way, as a private landlord renting one house I know that you are mistaking block landlords regarding fire escapes and fire alarms etc (you will note that even council tenants in houses have to provide their own alarms and have no special fire exits built in) and the CORGI inspection is to do with the property and in your best interests (and the neighbours) and nothing to do with any political issue, like the ‘rules’ that Dave laments on.
The bottom line is that most landlords couldn’t care less as long as the rent is on time but some do have concerns over who they let their properties to relating to lifestyle issues, religious belief and the like. One friend of mine got burned recently when he let his house out to a Polish couple that happened have a gang of Polish builders move in with them causing lots of damage and a lot of bad will with the neighbours let alone the damage to the values, and yet it took him months to get them out legally, and these cases are not just few.
All in all, I rent MY property to whoever I feel comfortable renting it to – not because I am ordered by some political rule as to what I can do with my own property.
Because you're an idiot. Everyone is entitled to an opinion but that doesn't mean all opinions are of equal value.
ReplyDeleteBarring people from renting because of the colour of their skin or where they are from, or what they believe, is otherwise known as racist, bigoted and illegal, thankfuly.
And for every story of Polish builders running amok the same can be said for white families; or black ones or even Christians. It's not the race or belief system that is the problem but the person in question.
As I said, feel free to be a racist and break the law but don't expect any respect for doing that.
Bye bye now!
You're a bit of a motherspammer lcruz.
ReplyDelete;-)
'No Irish', 'Irish out' is all too common to me, growing up in Ulster, with a lot of no go area's for Nationalists and other Irish from the south.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure we can sympathize with other nationalities, our shared history under imperialism and in today's world, this emergence of heightened, public xenophobia and discrimination in jobs/housing which was rife in pre-70s Northern Ireland.
It's a crying shame this is continuing. Though Nationalists/Catholics were fighting for civil rights in their own country of birth, the same rights should be afforded to all people who reside there.
Coady, read the comments policy, racist clap trap will not be tolerated. No wonder you hide who you are.
ReplyDelete