The Dean

Ah there he is - Alf Garnett...........

Author/creator Johnny Speight was allegedly a liberal-minded unreconstructed leftie (what ELSE did he write, by the way? was he basically a 'one-hit wonder'?), who wanted Garnett to be seen as a figure of ridicule - but he became a folk-hero to many, and Speight was too slow to realise it.

Now he crops up in every discussion about the very issues Speight would claim he was trying to examine - ironic really..........

shakh your bootie

You presume a great deal. I would agree with you, though, that their is a new urgency in the UK to re-address its position with regards to multi-culturialism (indeed, in governmentspeak nowadays the term "social cohesion" is being used); the UK has an issue both with an inverted population pyramid, and the skills profile of its workforce. It is inevitable that immigration is necessary for the UK to continue to compete in the global market - a points system and identification of key shortfall areas in skills is a sensible move that, actually, I applaud.

As for the increase in British people choosing to emmigrate, or at least serve abroad for a few years, this is more a function of globalization, and the surge in economic activities in Eastern economies. I doubt that many of you have come out here because a Pole or a Paki "stole your job" back home.

Finally, the UK has traditionally had an exemplary reputation in Europe as being singularly humanitarian in offering political asylum to persecuted people - it would do the nation no harm to maintain that reputation.

On the other hand, illegal immigration is a problem for the UK, which is seen as a soft target by a small percentage of the total number of immigrants arriving - stricter border controls, using technology to detect illegal border incursions and a fast-tracked system to process immigration cases through the courts would help this matter.

What doesn't help either the problem or the "social cohesion" of the community is puerile and, frankly, prejudicial remarks, jokes and generalisations which sound quite sinister when they are expressed.

The Dean

Now all we need is revivals of "Mind Your Language" and "Love Thy Neighbour"...... and you can't imagine "The Sweeney" or "Minder" being made these days......

Mind you - look at the patronising unfunny Northern-stereotyping garbage called "Last Of The Summer Wine", which the politically-correct BBC has foisted on us for 35 years.......

Can we make this a telly thread? Just as much material to discuss........

shakh your bootie

I don't know about Speight - Mitchell was, of course, a British Jew and also performed at the West End, as well as on the Radio. The last thing I heard him in, shortly before he died, was a wonderful play on R4 called "Scaramouche Jones" - i believe the play is currently running at the Bristol Old Vic (http://www.scaramouchejones.co.uk/), it's well worth seeing.

shakh your bootie

Yes, but Til Death Us Do Part was designed & delivered as Parody, much like Ali G was a few years ago.... The others are more from the stable of "No Sex, Please, We're British" or worse, "The Black & White Minstrels"....

The odd thing is, tho, that the Arabs & the Indians seemed to love Mind Your Language.... if I mention Mrs Courtney to a local, they know who I mean....

MissDemeanor

Our country is turning into a laughing stock.Crime is soaring,while the tax payers are paying for immigrants to stay in our jails.People are being denied NHS treatment...because they cant afford it.People that have been waiting for council houses are on a never ending waiting list,while the houses are handed out like sweets to immigrants.Dont tell me that I should be proud of our countries reputation.Tell it to my mother who has been waiting 14 months for an operation.

BangleMan

What doesn't help either the problem or the "social cohesion" of the community is puerile and, frankly, prejudicial remarks, jokes and generalisations which sound quite sinister when they are expressed.[/QUOTE]

If you have ever walked down any inner London high street at 11 o'clock at night, whether it be North, South, East or West in fear of your life in your own country, being stared at and made to feel as if you dont belong, or not think that you are about to be stabbed, you may understand that sometimes it difficult not to be prejudicial on occassions.....

BangleMan

I blame the French !!. They knew agreeing to channel tunnel being made would mean all of Europe's dossers / benefit hunters would run straight through their cuntry and out the other side, because as bad as Britain has become, at least it isnt ....France !

MissDemeanor

If you have ever walked down any inner London high street at 11 o'clock at night, whether it be North, South, East or West in fear of your life in your own country, being stared at and made to feel as if you dont belong, or not think that you are about to be stabbed, you may understand that sometimes it difficult not to be prejudicial on occassions.....[/QUOTE]

...in the good old days!.Now you can say that about most streets in the country!

BangleMan

...in the good old days!.Now you can say that about most streets in the country![/QUOTE] As fit as I look MD, I have to say that I havent walked down streets anywhere elsewhere in the country

MissDemeanor

As fit as I look MD, I have to say that I havent walked down streets anywhere elsewhere in the country [/QUOTE]

And by god,you do look fit!!

BangleMan

:embaressed_smile
And by god,you do look fit!![/QUOTE]::embaressed_smile::embaressed_smile:....do I owe you money ?

MissDemeanor

::embaressed_smile::embaressed_smile:....do I owe you money ?[/QUOTE]

Not yet..

BangleMan

Not yet..[/QUOTE]
Oh bugger....but I only had a piece of pork, 4 roast potatoes, 3 roasted parsnips, and a choc cake from Waitrose.....and in return the dog got to shag my leg ....lol !

Inselaffen

i cant believe you quoted that.
i would never wear a west ham scarf!