The BBC are starting a season of documentaries on BBC2 looking at the way globalisation, immigration and economic upheaval has effected the White, British working-class. The season will explore working-class attitudes and culture.
Richard Klein is the BBC Head of Independent Commissioning For Knowledge and has written a brief article for the Daily Mail introducing the series of documentaries:-
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=523351&in_page_id=1770
I for one am looking forward to this. One of the findings undercovered by the research for this series is the attitude of White, working-class people to the Labour Party and government.
I was once an enthusiastic supporter of the Labour Party but find that my attitude changed when it became clear that New Labour had abandoned its traditional supporters in favour of representing people in terms of their ethnicity, cultural origins, gender, religion or sexual orientation.
I too feel that the vast majority of ordinary working-class people are now excluded from the political process. The alienation felt by many is remarked upon by the programme maker.
BBC2's White season begins on Friday March 7 with Last Orders, at 9pm.
Dunkirk.
I'm looking forward to this. Trouble is though:
- I'm not sure what "working class" is ? :confused:
- many "whites" don't help themselves in any way. They're quick to moan about immigtration, people taking "our" jobs etc yet some white Brits have absolutely no intention of getting a job. There are loads and loads of jobs around - but you get more on benefits ;). Immigrants are often more reliable and work harder.
The BBC are starting a season of documentaries on BBC2 looking at the way globalisation, immigration and economic upheaval has effected the White, British working-class.
You almost fooled me there, Dunkirk. :p LOL, a TV documentary about people like me?! As if! :p
No, seriously now. That's just my ironic way of saying, "About time, and 25 years too late." I may not get time to see it, but it's welcome.
P.S. Like Happygirl, am not too sure what "working class" is or means today, though. The class structure has changed. A lot who once would have been 'working class' are much better off, while others are a real little-working underclass? The term doesn't seem to fit in the twenty-first century, anyway IMO. But we probably have some idea what he means by it?
V
Hi Happygirl and V,
I think you are quite correct that the term 'working-class' is more difficult to define these days than it ever used to be.
During our recent history when Britain's economy relied more on manufacturing it was easy to feel a part of the working-class if you worked in a factory or industry along side hundreds of other workers.
People who lived in towns and cities that were dominated by one manufacturer or one type of industry compared their living standards with the workers in that industry who were often reasonably well paid when compared to other occupations including Nurses or Teachers.
These days that distinction is somewhat blurred as we don't have the same number of factories that employ vast numbers of people. I think that there has been a tendency recently to label anyone with a half decent job that pays a reasonable wage as being middle-class.
Home ownership is also a factor because at one time council housing was an option that was available to people in steady full time employment whereas since the 1980's 'social housing' is only offered to those on a low income or benefits.
Nevertheless I would say that the vast majority of people in this country are by definition working-class. We may no longer work in large factories and belong to general industrial unions but it doesn't mean that we are no longer working class.
It is now quite common for people to work for small firms employing less than 25 people or for large corporations that operate through small units. This tends to mitigate against Trade Union membership.
I believe that because of this Labour has found it difficult to engage with the political aspirations of ordinary working-class people and therefore finds it easier to push 'minority politics', diversity, multiculturalism etc.
Ethnic minorities are encouraged to express their ethnicity through membership of various associations:-
http://www.fbho.org.uk/site2/
http://www.babpa.org.uk/
http://www.bararugby.com/
http://thefranchisor.co.uk/franchise/Asian-Lite/Your-route-to-the-British-Asian-business-community/2735
http://www.blackpolice.org/
I'm not saying that I disagree with this in any way. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being aware of one's origins, ethnicity or cultural heritage. There isnt anything wrong with promoting sectional economic, political or cultural interests.
I think the problem arises when this is compared with the situation of the White British working-class. When they try to foster awareness of their cultural heritage it is seen in some quarters as jingoism and bigotry.
At best the aspirations and interests of the White, British working-class are ignored and at worse, as an entity they are seen as culturally backward and the natural constituency of the BNP.
While this state of affairs continues the White working class will begin to accept that promoting their interests is seen as not politically correct and will therefore turn to organisations that can be bothered to take their concerns seriously.
This is why I think that it is about time that the BBC are making this series of documentaries and at least begin to bring the White working-class back from the margins of British culture.
Dunkirk.
I read recently in the newspaper, that Leicester will in less than two years have a white minority.
I have a relative who lives on the coast in lincolnshire and she and many more whites come from leicester.