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AIBU?

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to be shocked that less than half of people in London are white

411 replies

Ilovecoffeeandchocolate · 11/12/2012 18:11

I was reading the article below and was shocked to see how much this country especially London has changed over the last ten years and feel concerned that immigration is too high for what is an already overcrowded island especially in the south east!

www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2012/dec/11/census-2011-religion-race-education?intcmp=239

OP posts:
catgirl1976geesealaying · 11/12/2012 19:14

Sure it's been said but

So what?
Who cares?
Why are you shocked?

You do know not all British people are white and not all white people are British don't you?

I wasn't born here but I am white. Am I ok to stay?

Iggly · 11/12/2012 19:15

What are you on about Cozy?!

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 11/12/2012 19:16

OP - as well as addressing my joky point about coffee and chocolate, could you address the following:

  1. The fact that nowhere in the article does it say that less than half of the people in London are white.
  2. Your apparent assumption that all non-white people are immigrants.
  3. The fact that you find your made-up statistic 'shocking' rather than, say, 'surprising' or 'interesting' or even, heaven forbid, 'positive' or 'encouraging'.
Abra1d · 11/12/2012 19:17

There is a ripple effect, gordysloves. One population moves into urban areas and another population moves out. As you say, generally more affluent white people moving out. But they wouldn't be moving out in such numbers (even allowing for increased divorce, more single-person households, etc) if it hadn't been for such large immigration. People have to live somewhere. Sadly, in this case, it's on a pretty, grade two agricultural field formerly providing this country with food.

Delayingtactic · 11/12/2012 19:18

Grrrr. I'm actually one of those statistics. What exactly so surprising about that statistic? Do you know what percentage are non white British? If it was 40% (so 85% being British) would you have made that comment? I'm guessing not.

Delayingtactic · 11/12/2012 19:19

45% of New York City are white Americans. So we are pretty on par with them.

MardyArsedMidlander · 11/12/2012 19:25

'People have to live somewhere. Sadly, in this case, it's on a pretty, grade two agricultural field formerly providing this country with food. '

If all the empty houses in this country were refurbished, then there would be even less of a housing problem. It has always been the case that when people make some money, they want to move out of the city. However, I believe that the rise in single person households make more of an impact than immigration.
And of course, rich people buying up all the cute little labourer's cottages as second homes so the actual villagers can only afford to buy two bed new builds on new estates.

Iwillorderthefood · 11/12/2012 19:27

So how many people are leaving? Immigration enables us to function as a country, without immigrants Britain would be a whole lot worse off.

I hope the attitude towards various ethnic groups and in particular mixed marriages and mixed heritage children continues to be more positive. I am in such a marriage and have such children, and one of our main stumbling blocks to moving out of London is a concern over racism. DH background is however one of ethnic persecution and therefore we are always sensitive to this.

DoingitOnTheRoofTopWithSanta · 11/12/2012 19:30

Would be curious to know the percentage of white English speakers in say Benidorm OP.

Abra1d · 11/12/2012 19:30

I entirely agree about the weekend home owners who visit perhaps one weekend in 20. They are a blight in our village and if we could force them to rent or sell their houses instead of leaving them empty, we wouldn't need all these new houses. Sometimes I walk through our village at night and see house after house empty, no car, curtains drawn.

But of course building these houses will make developers money. So that's OK. Hmm

gordyslovesheep · 11/12/2012 19:36

so it's snotty Brits refusing to integrate causing the housing issues !

and yes MONEY that is also a big factor ...Immigration I am afraid is a big white elephant way down the imagined list of reasons green belt land is being built on

AmberLeaf · 11/12/2012 19:36

Love advanced search.

OPs full of it IMO

Nancy66 · 11/12/2012 19:37

Makes sense and, I'd say, pretty representative of the way it is in most capital/major cities of developed countries.

Strange to think two ends of a small country can be so different though.

I was in Harrogate recently. For ages I couldn't put my finger on what felt weird about it. Then I realised. Everyone was white. I think it's the whitest place in the UK actually.

DoingitOnTheRoofTopWithSanta · 11/12/2012 19:37

swarthy knaves on my way to market.

Mrsdevere me either :(

dinkybinky How are Polish in the UK illegally? Confused

DoingitOnTheRoofTopWithSanta · 11/12/2012 19:39

I love how someone can start a deliberately racist Op then wait pages to forget to mention that actually they are neither white nor British.

If you think immigration is a problem what do you think should be done aboutt it OP?

BoffinMum · 11/12/2012 19:40
Biscuit

God, who even cares?

Nancy66 · 11/12/2012 19:42

I don't think the OP was being racist.

Alameda · 11/12/2012 19:44

I LOVE that blue mountain coffee, it has something magical in it.

Only 4.7% of people in my post code were not born in the UK, which is not how the racists perceive things. Apparently we are overrun by that 4.7% of Polish nursery workers and taxi drivers etc

gordyslovesheep · 11/12/2012 19:48

no Nancy66 - the OP getting a twist over the rising number of black people ...not at all racist! Hmm

Nancy66 · 11/12/2012 19:50

yes, that would be racist but she didn't say that.

StarOfLightMcKings3 · 11/12/2012 19:52

So go and live somewhere less crowded then OP!

DoingitOnTheRoofTopWithSanta · 11/12/2012 19:54

No you wouldn't nancy

gordyslovesheep · 11/12/2012 19:54

no she's in a twist that 'over 50%' are not white - which is totally different ...not at all

AfterEightMintyy · 11/12/2012 19:54

Haven't read whole thread. Does op actually live in London?

giveitago · 11/12/2012 19:55

Ilove - your post says that less than half are white british. I guess that's right but the majority of people in london are white at the same time due to european immigration.

The world has opened up and many people can settle in different countries. That's what's happened and the figures reflect this.