Brown's 'Bigotgate' and the debate about Poles

Have you noticed how the recent 'scandal' called Bigotgate kicked off a massive national debate about Eastern Europeans living and working in the UK? There is a lot of negativity coming from the opinions of Brits about how Poles steal their jobs, benefits, social services, etc? Not many people actually mention any other nationalities, but only Polish!

I feel there is some sort of witchhunt going on at the moment, showing furious Brits on the TV and expressing their opinions on the radio about Poles - I really feel that I am unwelcomed here and frankly want to leave England for good. I have a British partner, and it's not as easy as just packing my suitcase, but I really feel like doing just that.

I have lived and worked here and paid taxes, yet I feel like some thug and persona non grata when I listen to this debate. It's not the Poles' fault for how this country is run and that people are entitled to NHS even if they have not worked here! I personally disagree with this generous system, yet you will always get people who take the advantage.

However, the focus is now on the Poles who live here - and I start to feel a bit scared of what this whole situation could cause on the street level...

Will you stop nagging pls? Thanks.

>^..^<

M-G (Poles are by far the biggest group of E-European immigrants, so naturally they will call the majority "Poles")

It is a shame that you have to go through what you are experiencing, rememberer not all of them are bigoted, some of them voice these fears because they are afraid and ignorant and just don't know any better. I am sure it will change though, after the cuts that is when the UK once again returns to higher economic growth.

Yet another nag. Grow up, get used to it. Massive influx of immigrants creates unease feelings with the locals. And what you'd expect? 100.000's of Polish ppl, willing to work below minimum wage. Can feel threatening. I don't agree to that feeling of fear, personally, but it's still there and it's an explanation. And besides, why are Poles allowed to make nasty remarks about other ppls and yet scream blue murder when sb makes a nasty remark about them? So stop whinging and whining about "how scared" you feel. Nobody's gonna hurt you. It's just a freaking debate, if there is one, that is and if it isn't all in your head.

>^..^<

M-G (now go make me some decent coffee)

Its funny,a few years ago Poles complained about constantly being called "Russians" when over here,now the shoes on the other foot and Russians are being called "Poles".....


If you listen to what the old bag said she actually spoke about " Eastern europeans", not Poles,eastern europeans,its the same phrase I hear over and over being a native Brit who people presume will think like they do.....its sad,but its not some specific Polonophobic attack.

She didn't mean Poles then. Unless she considers Austrians to be "Eastern Europeans" too.
A big chunk of Austrian territory, including their capital city of Vienna is further east than
Polish western provinces (parts of Italy and Sweden are also further east than Polish
western lands, so maybe Austria, Italy and Sweden are Eastern Europe too?)

When will all the ignorant retards learn that Poland is, was and always will be a Central
European Country, together with Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia. Switzerland,
Slovenia and Hungary?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Europe

Stupid UN with their stupid North, South, East, and West divisions. If "central" makes you feel better, than fine, Poles are Central Europeans.

Can,t stand Brown but he was spot on calling her a "Bigot"

Just saw this "incident", including Brown discussing with the old bigot. A lot of fuss about nothing. She mentions "immigrants from Eastern Europe" ONCE. And that is it. The bag talks mainly about her pension and her grandkids. I don't think there is a national discussion about that one remark going on in Britain. Maybe TS is a bit paranoid? Like I said, stop nagging about it and go back to work ;)

Edit: when does British television learn to subtitle when ppl talk with an unintelligible accent? In NL they do that. When I watch British football programs, there is this Scottish analyst and I understand barely half of what he says and my English is pretty good.

>^..^<

M-G (but I guess the word Eastern and Europe spoken by a Westerner rings alarmclocks instantly)

I will repost something I wrote and that was deleted:

I really don't understand what the big deal is all about. Eastern Europeans WORK, integrate and don't cause as much Problems as Pakis and other peoples. So what's the problem.

CANT CANT WE ALL JUST GET ALONG!?

That's just part of being an immigrant. I pay a serious amount of tax in Poland but apparently have no right at all to even make any comment about how that money should be spent.

Actually that's not true. They do cause problems, but it's different problems. And I am sure that most of the Indian and Pakistani ppl don't cause problems, are generally better educated than most of the Eastern Europeans coming in the UK, or elsewhere and don't drink themselves to oblivion on just about any occasion.

>^..^<

M-G (tiens)

What kind of problems?

I don't know, but if I were a British guy...I would hate all immigrants :P

No seriously, I'd like more western Immigrants than the "others".

yet everyone who lives in the UK is in some way a descent of an immigrant in the first place!!


glad you said this otherwise i would have pointed it out.

the only reason the UK has the stereotypical views of the 2004 influx of Polish people is down to the Media and how they sensationalise a story to create a moral panic within society. yes i grant you the influx was nothing to the 300,000 Polish people who came to the UK under the Polish Resettlement Act 1947 but still it is down to the Media at the end of the day and that 9 times out of 10 one source of media is a person in society only source of information and that it can be mis-interpreted

And mixed ;)

The media fawns over the Poles.

Now, what would happen if two million Paddys and Brits migrated into Poland over a five year period?

Well:

1) the huge influx of Polish ppl, starting immediately after joining the EU was unprecedented, but predicted by most EU countries minus IRE, SE and UK. These three countries bore the brunt of the onslaught which was the mass immigration of Polish workers. Anyway, that influx was very real and not created by the media. Ppl who see a tsunami of foreigners arriving at their doorstep get frightened, especially when they're not that smart.

2) ? The Polish resettlement act of 1947 was intended for dislocated Polish troops WITHIN Britain. It was meant as a thank you from the British government for the huge Polish contributions to the war efforts. (which makes the entire discussion about the ungrateful British towards the Poles a useless one).

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_Resettlement_Act_1947

>^..^<

M-G (bored)

hahaha. come on, you can not believe this for real. so what we were talking about... hmm, about some 'Bigotgate'?

I agree with you but it's the old iron curtain division they usually mean. Jeppesen which is an aviation company printing charts pilots use all over the world still puts Poland in their "East European" section along with Romania, Bulgaria, etc. I cringe each time I see that...

Interesting link.

How many Brits of Polish ancestry were in Britain in the year 2000? About a half million?

Did 2 million Poles actually come to Britain in recent years? I hear a bunch of them are going back to Poland now. Is this true?

Educated in jihad and bomb making? I'm generalizing of course but so are you... So what did this Polish woman do to you? Why the animosity toward the Poles?

I already disproved the falsehood that you are pedaling on previous posts, they are better educated than the natives for goodness grief, when will you use your head instead of being drive by anti polish bigotry?


It has already happened, Poles being attacked by natives because of media incitement. So I would not be so sure

Then why are they making coffees for a living? All firms want cheap labour, if the Poles were better educated, firms would snap them up.

But they dont.

All poles in Ireland and the UK claim to have went to university. The reality is much, much different.

Gordon Brown recently sold the brits gold at $250.00 per ounce. Gold is now worth circa $1200.00 per ounce.

And he is still acclaimed as an "economic genius".

I read somewhere that there are 2 million poles in London alone. Is that true?

Probably. They have invaded the British and Irish isles.

Imagine Mexican migration into the US.

Multiply that by ten.

kick out the poles, replace them with turks, lebanese, pakistani's.

The official numbers are much lower.
In 2001, ~60,000
In 2007/8 anywhere between ~500,000 and ~1.5 million (depending on who you ask)

Also seems to be a much more mobile migration:
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/5273356.stm (Poles coming in)
telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/poland/3248852/Polish-immigrants -leaving-Britain-What-the-Poles-did-for-us.html (Poles going out)

Also the vast bulk (I've seen 62% quoted) of 'Eastern European' migrants are Poles, so 'Eastern European' and Polish may be used interchangeably by some lazy journalists, so that could count towards some of the number confusion.

No it is not, not even in the whole country.


But they do, have you heard about the numbers employed in the NHS for instance, they prefer to recruit form other countries than train their own. That is why there was a huge demonstration some 2 years ago. There was a guardian article about a Polish GP who is payed to fly to Scotland to treat patients over weekends.

People shouldn't blame the Poles, they should fix their immigration system. And would they really prefer anybody else instead of the poles?

Besides under the current Australian points based system, my understanding is that they only allow immigration to people with skills, something that should have been in place ages ago. If everyone is so angry about the current system why do they continually vote Labour?- for people who in any other country would be digging ditches not representing people in parliament.

DOn't forget Morrocans.


At least the girls look good and don't have moustaches!

there are towns in america conducted entirely in spanish and everywhere else has english/spanish translation, oh and they are here illigaly and i still havent picked up a word of spanish other than estados unidos,

if its anything like mexicans in america which its not but if it is im sure the UK is benefiting from cheap/skilled labor, lets hear the good things they bring besides the woman.

we dont get too many caliente chicas here we get all the 4ft tall by 4ft wide chupacabras pushing strollers.