The Staggers

The New Statesman’s rolling politics blog

“One in five Britons will be ethnics”, says the Daily Express

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before . . .

By Daniel Trilling Published 13 July 2010 11:45

Here's the front page of today's Daily Express:

Oh no! The ethnics are coming! Lock up your Diana memorial china set! That's right, it's the tabloid's charming spin on the latest population projections.

Incidentally, here's what a British National Party activist told me in April:

The rhetoric of the Express and the Mail could come from one of our own newsletters . . . But then they have to say, "Don't vote for those fascists!" It's ridiculous.

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Tags: BNP media Immigration

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16 comments

Tue, 2010-07-13 21:22 — Worried (not verified)

actually, my eye was more drawn to the headline above: "Yes, there is life after menopause says Coronation Street star" .. phew, thank God for that!

Tue, 2010-07-13 22:55 — Des Demona (not verified)

''actually, my eye was more drawn to the headline above: "Yes, there is life after menopause says Coronation Street star"

Does Dick Desmond have shares in KY Jelly I wonder?

Wed, 2010-07-14 00:23 — Celia (not verified)

Simoso, I am quite fond of "Easy Yorkshire". Is it like "Easy Skanking"? Or just "Easy like Sunday morning"?

Anyway, this debate about "ethnics" reminds me suddenly of all the people from various places who insist they "don't have an accent" even though they quite clearly do if they can talk to tell you about it. Broadly speaking, these unusual categories belong to other people and "I" am just normal.

Tue, 2010-07-13 12:21 — jie4v7i14

One in 5 are alweady, and many centuwies ago, said an old bwit from 409AD.

And you have my pewmission, Daily Expwess, for using the wowd bwit for modewn times. Quite flattewing I think it is myself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPGb4STRfKw

Tue, 2010-07-13 12:45 — Marts (not verified)

Next thing they'll want to be bishops

Tue, 2010-07-13 13:04 — Sam (not verified)

Can someone please tell me what an ethnic is? How far back does your ancestory have to go before you're no longer considered an 'ethinic'? I think we need to know Daily Express!

Tue, 2010-07-13 13:07 — Duncan (not verified)

The worrying thing is the 4 out of 5 of us who will lack ethnicity. How awful!

Tue, 2010-07-13 14:11 — Karen (not verified)

ha ha. That headline made me laugh!
Had the same thought as Duncan. O ye poor Britains. People without ethnicity.

Tue, 2010-07-13 14:48 — Des Demona (not verified)

Being a Scot I am already an ethnic so HA!

Wed, 2010-07-14 18:32 — mount1

no you're not

Tue, 2010-07-13 15:55 — Simoso

I'm half Scottish, the rest is Irish and Easy Yorkshire (probably Viking). Does nyone really care?

Tue, 2010-07-13 15:56 — Simoso

That's East Yorkshire, not Easy, ha ha ha.

Tue, 2010-07-13 16:11 — bob smith

Headline should read "5 out of 5 Britons are ethnics". Not a good story but at least it's true.

Wed, 2010-07-14 19:36 — test123 (not verified)

test33d

Tue, 2010-07-13 19:38 — Kris (not verified)

"Can someone please tell me what an ethnic is? How far back does your ancestory have to go before you're no longer considered an 'ethinic'? I think we need to know Daily Express!"

I think they're refering to those funny brown and black people. White people don't have an ethnicity, therefore it doesn't matter where they actually come from and they will be accepted whatever. Unless they're polish of course, but that's just cos they take all the jobs.

It's all so clear to me now.

Tue, 2010-07-13 20:07 — Lester (not verified)

Ridiculing this particular front page is fine, but the bigger issue is that the Express and the Star regularly churn this stuff out uncommented-upon week after week.
Cumulatively this amounts to stirring up racial hatred, when all their attacks on asylum seekers and Muslims are considered. Why have they been allowed to get away with this for so long unchecked?