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AIBU?

To ask what leavers have against Poles?

185 replies

allegretto · 25/06/2016 12:05

I keep on seeing posts complaining about Poles (hardworking, young and pay more taxes than they take out). Why?? Most Poles go back after a few years anyway! I know people say it was not a racist decision - so I don't get it. A good proportion of the pensioners in Spain will be back when pensions are frozen and they DO use the NHS and other resources more due to age. So why are they preferable if not rac ism?

OP posts:
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fuctifino · 25/06/2016 12:06

Nowt wrong with them.

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EatShitDerek · 25/06/2016 12:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

allegretto · 25/06/2016 12:10
Hmm
OP posts:
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insancerre · 25/06/2016 12:10

I quite like the poles. The north one has Santa and the south has penguins
What's not to like?

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Pinkheart5915 · 25/06/2016 12:13

poles? Your talking about washing line poles I assume. As the people from Poland would be polish surely? Confused

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PaintedDrivesAndPolishedGrass · 25/06/2016 12:17

Polish people/ people from Poland you mean.
I love Polish people in fact I love people of all Nationalities. My children exist because of a Polish immigrant. My family is made up of people from
Iran
Bangladesh
Poland
Mexico
Ghana
Spain
I love them all,
I voted out..... Nothing to do with racism or xenophobia or small mindedness but because of the economic state of Europe...I am informed and voted for my children's future.

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WellErrr · 25/06/2016 12:17

Nothing, my washing would be on the lawn without them.

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weirdsister · 25/06/2016 12:18

Well according to a (brexiter) family member of mine, Eastern Europeans have special powers of hypnotism and persuasion that allows them to jump the council house queue. She's not sure how this happens but my brexiter family member is adamant it's true.

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WellErrr · 25/06/2016 12:19

Ahhhhh, Polish people.

I have nothing against Polish people. My reasons for voting Leave had little to do with immigration.

So you can take me out of your Racist category and sidle me over to Thick or Ignorant Smile

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teaandcake789 · 25/06/2016 12:20

That's fascinating wierdsister my husband grandfather is polish, we could do with an extra bedroom or 3 so I'll put my application into the council first thing on Monday. Mansion here we come....

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weirdsister · 25/06/2016 12:22

Has your husband inherited the hypnotic powers of persuasion though teaandcake?

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Birdsgottafly · 25/06/2016 12:23

I voted remain.

Where I live, in Liverpool, we've seen big changes, because of the Bedroom tax and traditionally (and factually) the Tory's hit us the hardest, with the cuts.

People (or the less informed ones) in my area, dontvwant the changes and the visible and audible difference is the influx of Polish people.

EE immigration has changed employment opportunities in my region, though, but it is Government Policies that have bought that about.

Ironically, it's raised the 'Standards' my estate, they are cleaner and quieter than those that were forced out.

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RaskolnikovsGarret · 25/06/2016 12:23

Sorry to stereotype, but the two Polish people at my workplace are exceptionally hard working. Driven, high-achieving and diligent, they are a real asset. Much more so than many of their English colleagues.

This is just one workplace, just a snapshot, so I won't extrapolate it to the whole Polish population, but I can say the Polish people I know are extraordinary, and I have a great deal of time for them.

If they had to leave, it would leave a gap, as they genuinely do twice the work of my some of less-strong English members of staff. (Obviously there are some good English staff as well).

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Birdsgottafly · 25/06/2016 12:29

Wierdsister, our HA changed its Policy's on needing a connection to the area and giving tendency a to single Adults sharing, for EE migrants, which is controversial.

This was done to fill empty, hard-to-let houses, vacated because of under occupation.

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WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 25/06/2016 12:32

I live in the county with the largest percentage of leave votes. I live/work in the town where there's been the biggest increase in Eastern Europeans moving here. Over 10% of the population is now Eastern European. If you live in a large city like london you probably think so what but for a small market town I think it was a shock.

The town is meant to be the most divided town in the UK and I would say that's true. I would also say that the majority of locals here have nothing against individual Polish/Lithuaninans at all. They probably wouldn't have anything against the numbers of people who have arrived if the powers that be had increased doctors surgeries, school places, extended the maternity unit to cope. That's what people have a problem with.

On the local news they were stopping people in the street and asking which way they were going to vote. They stopped a Polish lady and she said if she was allowed to vote she would vote leave. She said something along the lines of "I know I'm being hypocritical as it was good for me that I could come here but there's far too many (Polish) here now and we just can't cope"

So I think the situation has been lack of investment in public services.

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WorraLiberty · 25/06/2016 12:37

It's weird how some people pretend don't know what Poles are Grin

Have you never heard of 'Brits' and 'Scots' either?

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TheNaze73 · 25/06/2016 12:38

It's the arrogance & judgey remarks like this that pushed undecided voters into the Brexit nightmare we will have unraveling. Broadbrush statements, that they have an issue with "Poles" really isn't helping

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Just5minswithDacre · 25/06/2016 12:44

Nothing wrong with the Polish.

Can you link to these threads? I haven't seen them.

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manicinsomniac · 25/06/2016 12:46

I voted remain and have never met a Polish person but I do remember a thread a long time ago that was saying that Poland as a country is quite homophobic. I can't remember whether it was referring to laws, culture or people themselves though. And even if it was people I doubt it would be the younger generations. Suppose it could be a reason though.

Otherwise, don't know.

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alltouchedout · 25/06/2016 12:46

DH is Polish. (Also a Pole, as I am British and a Brit). People say terrible things to and about him. Far less often since we moved from a shit hole Fenland town to Manchester, but it still happens. Why? Because they are nasty, racist cunts is why. I try not to give them the satisfaction of seeing me furious but it is so hard to deal with.

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YourPerception · 25/06/2016 12:46

Nothing.

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Ginkypig · 25/06/2016 12:57

In my experience (which obviously comes from the people around me day to day)

No one has a problem with any person from any nationality (including born here) living in the country as long as they are trying to be productive and make the country a better place to live! That does not need to be work by the way.

In terms of polish people specifically no one has an issue with them they come here try to fit in and make friends, they work very hard in jobs that a lot of people wouldn't want to take, then they either fall in love with here and stay or they go home because they have saved enough to buy a home.

Obviously not every person fits the above statement but then any group of humans don't fit into one statement!

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formerbabe · 25/06/2016 13:00

I voted leave.

I have nothing against Poles...my grandfather was Polish. Generally I have found Polish people to be pleasant, hard working and polite.

In terms of free movement in Europe though, in the case of Poland I feel it was very unequal. There are over 750,000 Polish born people in the UK. I cannot find any statistics online showing how many British people emigrated to Poland though.

I wonder how this has affected Poland? Any Polish people around, can you tell me if Poland has suffered at the loss of so many young adults? Is there a skills shortage? Can you see a difference in society in Poland since you joined the EU?

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Corcory · 25/06/2016 13:01

We have Polish in our family and but DH and I voted out. It's the unrestricted nature of the immigration and our inability to control it that is the problem I have with that side of the argument but it's certainly not the only reason I voted out. It has more to do with the EU's rules and regulations and that one rule fits all and how that has affected our fisheries, agriculture and manufacturing.

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Goodvibesonly · 25/06/2016 13:07

I personally have seen a lot of hate against Eastern Europeans and genuinely believe that it is fuelled by fear and rumours. One particular rumour that I have seen doing the rounds time and time again is this one:

your.asda.com/news-and-blogs/don-t-be-taken-in-by-this-urban-myth-about-a-child-abduction

At one point it got so bad in my small town that police had to release a statement to dismiss the above rumour. Yet you can almost guarantee that in a few months time it will rise again.

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