| Poor old Tom Hunt 15:32 - Oct 11 with 5029 views | WestStanderLaLaLa |
People want to silence his nuanced views, despite the majority of his constituents agreeing with him.
“Last week I attended a debate at Conservative Party Conference in Manchester where I made a speech about immigration. You may have read about my speech in the local media or heard me talking about it on the radio.
Before I started my speech, someone talking about their own Town, somewhere in the north of England, said that when they walk into their Town centre, they feel like they are in a foreign country and they don't like it. This person asked me whether it was xenophobic to feel this way. During my speech I responded to this and made my view clear. My belief is that feeling this way, in and of itself, does not make you xenophobic. If you walk into your Town centre, or City centre, on a regular basis, and come across large groups of people speaking foreign languages and or behaving in a way which isn't in keeping with the way you'd expect people to behave in your Town centre or City centre, then it's understandable you'd feel uncomfortable.
It has long been my belief that when you get integration, diversity can be a good thing. When new communities learn our language, make a positive contribution to the wider community and behave in a way which isn't detrimental to the quality of life to others then it can be a force for good. However, when you don't get integration, when people don't make an effort to learn our language or behave in a way which is in keeping with what we'd expect, then clearly the consequences are problematic. Sadly, there are many examples of this.
It has also always been my strong belief that if you move to our country, you have a responsibility to integrate. There is of course a difference between integration and assimilation. There is no contradiction between enjoying different cultural events across the Town celebrating different traditions, be it religious and or cultural, but also wanting to live in a cohesive community with shared values and respect.
I honestly felt that what I'd said wasn't particularly controversial. I spend large amounts of my time talking to constituents about these sorts of issues and I'm confident the majority of Ipswich residents think alike.
However, there are a number of people locally who think that immigration as a topic should never been discussed or debated. To have any concerns about mass migration, illegal migration and its impact on local communities essentially amounts to heresy. If you have the temerity to express any of these concerns, then you will be roundly condemned and smeared. We are therefore expected to pretend that every aspect of immigration over the past few decades has been an unalloyed success. Of course, most of us know that the reality is far more complex. But if you dare say this, you're divisive and problematic. Best to pretend that everything is wonderful and there are no issues.
This has therefore led to an unhealthy disconnect between majority opinion on this issue and the prevailing views of influential people in our media, politics and civic life, both at a national level, and a local level.
The playbook with me is always the same. I'll make a comment. And someone from the local media, will look to whip up a storm. The Ipswich and Suffolk Council for Racial Equality (ISCRE) will then wade in essentially smearing me as a xenophobe intent on stoking up racial and community tensions. The desire is to silence me and anyone else who dares express nuanced views on mass migration and its impacts on our communities.
The Ipswich and Suffolk for Racial Equality (ISCRE). I'm sure they do some good work. In fact, I know they do some good work. However, sadly as a racial equality charity, I do believe there have been many occasions where they've strayed too far into the political arena. Time and time again they have become embroiled in complex political debates about migration where I would describe some of their views as being at the extreme end of liberal left opinion. Last week, they issued a statement condemning my comments without even bothering to try and understand them fully. They weren't at the debate. In fact, the statement they issued appeared to be talking about a different topic from the one I'd actually been commenting upon. If they'd bothered to contact me and establish the full facts, I could have pointed this out. Shame they didn't.
We then had quite a bizarre news story by Paul Geater. For some reason at the end of the story he chose to mention out of nowhere that last Sunday I hadn't attended the 25th anniversary of BSC Multicultural Services. What was the reason for doing this? What was the reason for completely out of context dropping this into the story about my comments at Conservative Party Conference? I can only be left with the conclusion that he did this to try and imply to readers that my non attendance at the event was linked to the views that I expressed at conference. That I had deliberately shunned the event for political reasons. Why else would he have completely out of context dropped this bit in at the end of the story?
Of course, the boring reality of why I wasn't at the birthday anniversary is because, you guessed it, I was in Manchester. This was likely the last Conservative Party Conference before the General Election, and I had a range of long-standing commitments on the Sunday that needed to be fulfilled. I only found out that the BSC Multicultural Services anniversary event clashed with Conference a week or so before the event. A fact I found very frustrating. If Paul had contacted me or taken a moment to look at my local activities over the past few weeks, he would have seen that the weekend before I was at the Hindu Ganesh festival in Ipswich and a Bangladeshi wedding ceremony. But hey, why check out the facts when you can publish a misleading news story.
I feel strongly that the public have been shut out of the debate on mass migration and its consequences for too long. I answer to my constituents, no one else. And I will continue to speak directly on this issue. However, I will do so with care and sensitivity. Our country has benefited from legal migration at sustainable levels over many decades. When you get integration, we can see many benefits. However, the level of net migration is in my view too high, and we should be intolerant when it comes to illegal migration. I also think there are many occasions where we should expect more from some of the people who have recently moved here. They have a duty and a responsibility to integrate.” |  |
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| Poor old Tom Hunt on 15:36 - Oct 11 with 3756 views | BlueBadger |
You can't even be openly racist these days without someone calling you racist. |  |
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| Poor old Tom Hunt on 15:48 - Oct 11 with 3695 views | Herbivore |
The irony is that Brits living overseas are often terrible at integrating with local communities and speaking the local language. I imagine Tom rhyming slang wouldn't have a problem with this though, we're just exporting our culture. |  |
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| Poor old Tom Hunt on 15:59 - Oct 11 with 3660 views | Ewan_Oozami |
Members of the public shut out of the immigration debate to such an extent that we got Brexit, a swivel-eyed Tory govt and Tom Hunt elected as MP for Ipswich - that's how far shut out the members of the public have been..... |  |
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| Poor old Tom Hunt on 16:05 - Oct 11 with 3635 views | Cornette |
The luscious death throes of a 'politician' about to lose their seat.
Hell, I've seen better promos from Sting - and he doesn't even talk! |  |
| It's triple cheese, extra cheese, mayo, pickles, onions ONLY, large fry, with a Sprite, you dumb bitch! |
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| Poor old Tom Hunt on 16:08 - Oct 11 with 3623 views | Dubtractor |
Such a dreadful man to have as the MP (supposedly) representing our town. |  |
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| Poor old Tom Hunt on 16:19 - Oct 11 with 3567 views | vilanovablue |
| Poor old Tom Hunt on 15:48 - Oct 11 by Herbivore |
The irony is that Brits living overseas are often terrible at integrating with local communities and speaking the local language. I imagine Tom rhyming slang wouldn't have a problem with this though, we're just exporting our culture. |
100% this British ex-pats are the absolute worst. Always called ex-pats never immigrants as well. |  | | |
| Poor old Tom Hunt on 16:48 - Oct 11 with 3489 views | factual_blue |
He is, after all, an old woman. |  |
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| Poor old Tom Hunt on 17:31 - Oct 11 with 3371 views | bournemouthblue |
| Poor old Tom Hunt on 15:36 - Oct 11 by BlueBadger |
You can't even be openly racist these days without someone calling you racist. |
Exactly, imagine denying a protest organised by the far right, didn't feature any neo-nazis when members from various far right organisations were all photographed and videoed there
https://eastangliabylines.co.uk/exclusive-claims-by-refugee-row-mp-of-no-far-rig
And yet he is puzzled why people attack him [Post edited 11 Oct 2023 17:31]
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| Poor old Tom Hunt on 17:38 - Oct 11 with 3315 views | BanksterDebtSlave |
| Poor old Tom Hunt on 15:48 - Oct 11 by Herbivore |
The irony is that Brits living overseas are often terrible at integrating with local communities and speaking the local language. I imagine Tom rhyming slang wouldn't have a problem with this though, we're just exporting our culture. |
It's poor form when they do this isn't it! |  |
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| Poor old Tom Hunt on 17:45 - Oct 11 with 3311 views | Illinoisblue |
“This desire to silence me” says an actual member of parliament with a newspaper column. |  |
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| Poor old Tom Hunt on 18:05 - Oct 11 with 3268 views | Funge |
This bloke is the pits.
Ben Gummer took a proper interest in the Town; he was a good constituency MP, as were Sandy Martin and Jamie Cann.
This bloke, though... |  | | |
| Poor old Tom Hunt on 18:25 - Oct 11 with 3208 views | factual_blue |
| Poor old Tom Hunt on 15:48 - Oct 11 by Herbivore |
The irony is that Brits living overseas are often terrible at integrating with local communities and speaking the local language. I imagine Tom rhyming slang wouldn't have a problem with this though, we're just exporting our culture. |
A lot of People With Very Real Concerns don't like being reminded that the TV series Auf Wiedersehen Pet is about economic migrants. | |
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| Poor old Tom Hunt on 18:27 - Oct 11 with 3195 views | Keno |
| Poor old Tom Hunt on 18:05 - Oct 11 by Funge |
This bloke is the pits.
Ben Gummer took a proper interest in the Town; he was a good constituency MP, as were Sandy Martin and Jamie Cann.
This bloke, though... |
and the later was brilliant in Elf and the Godfather |  |
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| Poor old Tom Hunt on 18:31 - Oct 11 with 3153 views | Funge |
| Poor old Tom Hunt on 18:27 - Oct 11 by Keno |
and the later was brilliant in Elf and the Godfather |
You're such a Misery | | | |
| Poor old Tom Hunt on 18:34 - Oct 11 with 3136 views | Keno |
| Poor old Tom Hunt on 18:31 - Oct 11 by Funge |
You're such a Misery |
have mercy on me | |
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| Poor old Tom Hunt on 19:13 - Oct 11 with 3061 views | Ewan_Oozami |
| Poor old Tom Hunt on 18:34 - Oct 11 by Keno |
have mercy on me |
Jonathan! Jonathan! Jonathan! | |
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| Poor old Tom Hunt on 05:29 - Oct 12 with 2809 views | ibbleobble |
| Poor old Tom Hunt on 15:48 - Oct 11 by Herbivore |
The irony is that Brits living overseas are often terrible at integrating with local communities and speaking the local language. I imagine Tom rhyming slang wouldn't have a problem with this though, we're just exporting our culture. |
Generalising the behaviour of 5 million people is actually prejudice, which is probably a weak starting point for debate, yet, you’ve got lots of uppies. That probably speaks volumes about the demographic in truth. |  | | |
| Poor old Tom Hunt on 07:39 - Oct 12 with 2693 views | You_Bloo_Right |
| Poor old Tom Hunt on 05:29 - Oct 12 by ibbleobble |
Generalising the behaviour of 5 million people is actually prejudice, which is probably a weak starting point for debate, yet, you’ve got lots of uppies. That probably speaks volumes about the demographic in truth. |
And yet, you see, had you learnt the language here correctly you would notice that the sentence structure, whilst remaining a generalisation, does not imply that all British people living abroad make no effort to integrate.
You would also understand that this is not "actually" prejudice.
Would you agree or not that, whilst many do, many British people who have moved to Europe make insufficient effort to integrate fully with their local community? |  |
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| Poor old Tom Hunt on 07:48 - Oct 12 with 2654 views | Herbivore |
| Poor old Tom Hunt on 05:29 - Oct 12 by ibbleobble |
Generalising the behaviour of 5 million people is actually prejudice, which is probably a weak starting point for debate, yet, you’ve got lots of uppies. That probably speaks volumes about the demographic in truth. |
Learn to read, that's usually a good starting point for debate. | |
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| Poor old Tom Hunt on 08:01 - Oct 12 with 2602 views | Herbivore |
| Poor old Tom Hunt on 07:39 - Oct 12 by You_Bloo_Right |
And yet, you see, had you learnt the language here correctly you would notice that the sentence structure, whilst remaining a generalisation, does not imply that all British people living abroad make no effort to integrate.
You would also understand that this is not "actually" prejudice.
Would you agree or not that, whilst many do, many British people who have moved to Europe make insufficient effort to integrate fully with their local community? |
This individual gets very angry about people constantly posting articles from quality news publications like the Guardian, so for his benefit I've found one from the Telegraph that seems relevant to the discussion: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/11193034/Unsociable-British-expats-fail-to-mak | |
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| Poor old Tom Hunt on 08:22 - Oct 12 with 2549 views | DJR |
| Poor old Tom Hunt on 07:39 - Oct 12 by You_Bloo_Right |
And yet, you see, had you learnt the language here correctly you would notice that the sentence structure, whilst remaining a generalisation, does not imply that all British people living abroad make no effort to integrate.
You would also understand that this is not "actually" prejudice.
Would you agree or not that, whilst many do, many British people who have moved to Europe make insufficient effort to integrate fully with their local community? |
As it is, I have great knowledge of a municipality in Spain which has been reported as having the highest proportion of British resident of any place in Spain.
My experience is that virtually nobody makes any attempt to learn the language, and the vast majority live in silos, with British bars, bingo, golf, bowling, line dancing and the like.
And can there be any country in the world like Spain, where a foreign culture (British bars and restaurants selling Full English and the like) has been transplanted to cater for British expats and tourists?
Of course, there will be much greater integration in English speaking countries like Australia and the States. But in places like Thailand or Singapore, with a middle-class British expat community, people similarly live separate lives, with English-language schools and servants.
And let's not forget things like the British Raj.
Of course not all expats are like that, but the person who raised the point didn't claim they are. [Post edited 12 Oct 2023 8:24]
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| Poor old Tom Hunt on 12:48 - Oct 12 with 2324 views | GlasgowBlue |
“It has long been my belief that when you get integration, diversity can be a good thing. When new communities learn our language, make a positive contribution to the wider community and behave in a way which isn't detrimental to the quality of life to others then it can be a force for good”
His government literally cut the funding for help with immigrants learning English. |  |
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| Poor old Tom Hunt on 14:32 - Oct 12 with 2217 views | blueasfook |
| Poor old Tom Hunt on 08:22 - Oct 12 by DJR |
As it is, I have great knowledge of a municipality in Spain which has been reported as having the highest proportion of British resident of any place in Spain.
My experience is that virtually nobody makes any attempt to learn the language, and the vast majority live in silos, with British bars, bingo, golf, bowling, line dancing and the like.
And can there be any country in the world like Spain, where a foreign culture (British bars and restaurants selling Full English and the like) has been transplanted to cater for British expats and tourists?
Of course, there will be much greater integration in English speaking countries like Australia and the States. But in places like Thailand or Singapore, with a middle-class British expat community, people similarly live separate lives, with English-language schools and servants.
And let's not forget things like the British Raj.
Of course not all expats are like that, but the person who raised the point didn't claim they are. [Post edited 12 Oct 2023 8:24]
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"And can there be any country in the world like Spain, where a foreign culture has been transplanted to cater for expats and tourists?"
Yes, the UK where we have mosques, synagogues, halal butchers, French/Italian/Polish shops, jewish/muslim schools, yada yada
Do any of you nobs actually think about what you write before you post? |  |
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| Poor old Tom Hunt on 14:41 - Oct 12 with 2184 views | HankScorpio |
| Poor old Tom Hunt on 14:32 - Oct 12 by blueasfook |
"And can there be any country in the world like Spain, where a foreign culture has been transplanted to cater for expats and tourists?"
Yes, the UK where we have mosques, synagogues, halal butchers, French/Italian/Polish shops, jewish/muslim schools, yada yada
Do any of you nobs actually think about what you write before you post? |
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| I expect nothing from you, except to die and be a very cheap funeral. |
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| Poor old Tom Hunt on 14:51 - Oct 12 with 2139 views | DJR |
| Poor old Tom Hunt on 14:32 - Oct 12 by blueasfook |
"And can there be any country in the world like Spain, where a foreign culture has been transplanted to cater for expats and tourists?"
Yes, the UK where we have mosques, synagogues, halal butchers, French/Italian/Polish shops, jewish/muslim schools, yada yada
Do any of you nobs actually think about what you write before you post? |
I am not sure why you have to be abusive.
In my view, abuse is a sign that a person has lost the argument. [Post edited 12 Oct 2023 14:53]
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