There were many Muslims in the Lancashire town I grew up in during the 1960s & 70s, largely textile workers that our mills needed. Even more in the Leed's suburb I lived in as a student. Since retiring, I've travelled widely around the UK, I do freelance writing, visiting Muslim areas in Bradford, Keighley, Luton, Rochdale & many others. In over 60 years I have never felt fear or intimidation from Muslims, far from it; often warmth, welcome & good humour. Of course, there are some despicable people who have done terrible things who identify as Muslims, just as there are in every type of community. To be honest, I've felt the greatest sense of fear & insecurity amongst young, often drunk, white men, especially on public transport & at night in some town centres. I don't see Muslim youngsters engaging in the kinds of anti-social behaviour that 'some' white kids do. That's my experience, in my view Islamophobia is utterly disgusting & needs calling out. Judge individuals, never entire groups, that is a road to very dark places that I'll never walk. I'm sorry if this angers or offends anyone, but this is a forum for sharing opinions & experiences; these are mine formed over 6 decades. I am saddened & concerned by how much traction some Islamophobes get on here, from Lowe to Yaxley-Lenon, they don't yet speak for most of us & we must never let their hate poison & divide us.
SNEAKO calls out Elon Musk over his obsession with UK grooming gangs: “Why is a trillionaire African migrant in America so interested in the grooming gangs in England when he was named in the Epstein files?” 😳
A viral toy is raising uncomfortable questions about race in China. Videos show the black version of the "Natasha doll" being slapped and run over, prompting criticism. On Focus on Africa, we explore what the controversy reveals about perceptions of black people in China.
Ask yourself why the world’s richest man is amplifying an anti-Muslim thug and convicted criminal in the UK just days after an alleged anti-Muslim terror attack in the UK (which Musk hasn’t mentioned, let alone condemned).
Elon Musk Wants Me in Prison. I Want Him Under Oath. The richest man in the world announced that he plans to sue me and called for my arrest. I will not be intimidated.
Read more: https://t.co/EtNgji4W4V
Julian Alvarez Update
If you remember, I stated there was another attacker I chose to keep anonymous. That player was indeed Julian Alvarez. The reason I said it was sensitive was because one of our players (Gyökeres) was potentially involved but let me just provide the facts for Arsenal fans. To my understanding the following statements are 100% factual.
• The players dream is Barca (personal terms agreed already)
• Barca have always wanted Julian to go public with his desire to force Atleti's position
• Atleti are adamant they will not to sell to Barca and would rather sell abroad but it wont stop Barca from trying
• PSG to my understanding left the race due to Campos / Enrique not wanting a player who doesn’t absolutely prioritise them but I wont be shocked if they return due to the players quality
• Julian has been a target for Arsenal since last summer
• After our group stage game Arteta made it clear we must atleast be in the race for the Argentine
• I can 100% confirm Atleti have interest in Viktor Gyökeres
• Andrea Berta has maintained contacts with the camp since last summer and has explored 'different structures & mechanisms' to bring Julian Alvarez to North London in the recent months…
• Reports about 'the English weather' being a reason Julian and his family would not return to England are absolutely false.
• The player would be very open to joining Arsenal and has directly told us should his dream to Barca become impossible
• Arsenal are yet to officially formalise their interest but Atleti are well aware of our interest.
The situation is chaotic but my role is to provide the absolute facts to the best of my knowledge in real time not predict the future. Its difficult enough tracking Berta and his 1000 spinning plates technique, its even harder when he silently speaks to ex-colleagues at Atleti with whom he has a lot of trust with but I have presented the facts. Genuinely feel a lot of relief talking about this all as its been exhausting to track for 14 months. I need to sleep now as I have been awake all night contacting sources 😂
Listen to me very carefully, @AndyBurnhamGM
Everything you are doing right now is going to cost me, my neighbours, my friends, my family, and every single citizen in this country.
As a former top civil servant rightly warned, this manufactured leadership uncertainty is enormously disruptive and it costs us real money.
We are utterly fed up with paying more for food, for housing, and for our daily cost of living just because of characters like you.
Hope? You talk about hope and you framed the Makerfield election around giving us hope. Is this your idea of hope?
To shake the markets, to drive up prices, to make investors walk away, and to stop us from reducing the debt we carry because of politicians like you?
Is that what you call hope?
How many times is this that you are trying to become the leader of the Labour Party?
You chose to pull this stunt mid term, while this government holds a massive majority in parliament.
No reasonable politician who actually cares about their party or the country would ever do this.
Let me tell you, Andy, this selfish behaviour will bury you politically. You only stay relevant while the media pumps your narrative. What truly awaits you is Josh's team, who will gladly stab you in the back at the very first opportunity.
As for Jeremy Corbyn and the rest of the self-proclaimed left wing who cannot accept that they do not lead this party, they need to take responsibility. If you do not like this party, leave.
Go and build your own far-left party and implement your policies there.
My message to you, Andy, is that I will never stop lobbying against your hypocrisy.
Right now, you are just an ordinary MP who means absolutely nothing more. Even that seat was taken through a manufactured plot with Josh, triggering a by-election just to give you a stage for this theatrical performance.
I have only one single message for @Keir_Starmer and @UKLabour:
Keep your word. You won the historic election with Keir Starmer as your leader, so stand your ground and get on with the job.
#UKPolitics #LabourParty #CostOfLiving #KeirStarmer 🇬🇧
https://t.co/Abg1k7lbJv
If Keir Starmer does resign, history will look back on his reign and scratch its head as to why the hell he was so hated.
On paper, he's probably delivered more to working British people in such a short time than any PM for decades.
After inheriting an absolute mess: NHS waiting lists fallen. Worker's rights improved. Rail operators nationalised. Improved relations with EU and improved UK's global reputation. Removed non-dom tax status. Halved childcare costs. Boosted state pensions. Lowest homicide rate in 50 years. Lifted 550k children out of poverty. Immigration vastly reduced.
We are in the age of billionaire funded misinformation, whose sole purpose is to topple democratically elected leaders, and insert leadership that favours the wealthy elites over the working people. Looks like the game plan is working...
You straight up lied to us that you would take us to Budapest for the UCL final. When the time came, you gave us visa excuses and promised us a $2000 and you didn't fulfill it.
The fact that you came to our DM and keep deceiving us when you fully know you don't have anything for us is wrong.
The reason South Africans don’t get into the news is because they’re irrelevant, so they think their nationals are saints across the world.
They’ve sentenced a South African drug dealer to prison in Sierra Leone this week, another 42 deported from Ireland.
We’ll give you that publicity since that’s what you want, so you can know there are bad eggs everywhere. Idiots.
Do we now start suspecting that all white male teachers are pedophiles after two were found guilty of raping children in the past two days?
Isn't that how it works?