London is no longer an English city

[Leafyhouse]

Said by John Cleese (he of Monty Python fame), recently. Link to story is here:

www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-48451384

What do other people think? I do see London's diversity as being its great strength, but maybe it's just because I live in the London bubble - and maybe the view from the rest of the country is utter horror that the capital seems to be becoming increasingly disconnected from the country. Both economically and culturally. Hence the Brexit vote - Remain in a sea of Leave.

What's the view from others?

He made no claim that it was better or worse than in ye olden days.
Just an observation that London is no longer quintessentially "English" which considering one of it's claims to fame is it's multiculturalism is nowt to get excited about.

It's not "quintessentially English" is that a bad thing? Great cities over time are melting pots, think ancient Rome.

Less than half the London population is white British (45%) so he’s right.

London is a world city. Thank fuck.

Cleese is quite obviously right, but he is simply stating the obvious. London is a global capital city which economically, culturally anD politically has far more in common with New York, Berlin or Paris than it has with the rest of England, which Londoners so disdainfully refer to as “the provinces”.

John Cleese said this from his cosy home in Barbados.

Hasn't that been the case for about 60 years? And all the better for it I say.

Says John Cleese, a man who is an immigrant in the place he chooses to live.
I live in London, it’s multi cultural & British, there are plenty of people not born here that love this country & are proud to call it home.

As a northerner, and I know many northerners I know think the same, we agree with JC. I would be surprised to hear a cockney there now. Haven’t they all moved out?

Every large city in the world is a cultural melting pot, especially if its a historic port like London. It's been like this since Roman times. It never has been and never will be 'quintessentially English'. It's not Winchester or Bath.

London is a world city. Thank fuck.

Ditto

JamesBlonde1 there are plenty of Londoners in London & no we haven’t all moved out

The Cockneys are all in Essex! Especially Selsey, they love it there

But Selsey isn't in Essex, oh well. They're in Essex and Selsey.

I live in London and I love it. But I agree with him that it's a different world to the rest of the UK. My parents live out in the sticks and every time I go to see them I'm struck by how different it is.

London is its own mad, wonderful, diverse place. But it doesn't represent the rest of the country in any way.

A lot of people, especially non English, think what is quintessentially English is a rose covered thatched cottage in the Cotswolds, not the financial and political centre that is London.

The first time we took dd to London, about 15 years ago, she asked me "Mummy, do they speak English in London?" "Of course they do darling" I replied.

After about three days I had to apologise to her and tell her that I'd been wrong.

I agree with the previous posters - London is global. It has more in common with New York or Frankfurt than Manchester or Birmingham.

Of course you are going to get an interesting mix of languages and ethnicity in such a city. It's not a bad thing. New festivals, art, food and ideas for starters.

which Londoners so disdainfully refer to as “the provinces”.

Have lived and worked here for 15 years, amongst people of all backgrounds and social classes, and have not heard this once, either seriously or ironically.

Surely London has always been a hubbub of different nationalities?

Why does John Cleese feel the need to point out something that has been known for centuries?

He's right. I always take foreign friends somewhere else too. London is great but it doesn't scratch eveyone's itch for 'english city' adequately.

The first time we took dd to London, about 15 years ago, she asked me "Mummy, do they speak English in London?" "Of course they do darling" I replied.

After about three days I had to apologise to her and tell her that I'd been wrong.

What a load of bullshit

Less than half the London population is white British (45%) so he’s right.

I’m hoping he didn’t mean “it has too many non-white people to be English”...

He is stating the obvious, but people are criticising because of the implied meaning that seems to be behind the statement.

I mean... 'London is no longer an English city.' Ok. The point being? That you'd rather it is one, with more white English people? That it once was a very English city, but now look what happened to it?

I live in London and I see its diversity as its great strength, and I'd never say 'London is no longer an English city'. I'd say maybe 'London isn't very English at all, it's a real mix'. 'London isn't your typical English city'.

Saying 'no longer' implies he's nostalgic for the past and not happy with the 'non-Englishness'.

After about three days I had to apologise to her and tell her that I'd been wrong.

Bollocks.

You didn’t hear a single person speak English in a London?