The Staggers

The New Statesman’s rolling politics blog

The David Starkey rap

The historian's infamous Newsnight appearance. Remixed.

By Jon Bernstein Published 15 August 2011 11:23

An inevitable development....

And once you've watched and listen, do read fellow Newsnight guest Owen Jones on his evening with Starkey: It was like Enoch Powell meets Alan Partridge

Tags: David Starkey London Riots

More from Jon Bernstein

View the discussion thread.

16 comments

Mon, 2011-08-15 16:09 — Bill Jones (not verified)

Immigration benefits the RICH people in the rich countries, and the rich people in the poorer countries. Not the poor / unskilled in either.

Quite what benefits do countries like the Phillipines get for paying to train thousands of nurses, only to lose their skills investment to 'richer' nations, where they often do jobs far below their skill level?

This is something that is totally ignored by those who would rather shout 'racist, racist' at the first hint of independant thought.

The British have become like the flock of sheep in Animal Farm shouting louder and louder and getting more senseless and incoherent over the matter.

In the 'boom years' Labour pored billions at the marginalised poor in welfare (with no long-term plan) and instead imported its cheap labour from overseas. Labour politicians have totally betrayed its own people, and now they should repent from their ivory towers at the mess its caused.

Wed, 2011-08-17 21:36 — Mr O'So-Wright (not verified)

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Tue, 2011-08-16 19:22 — A. Cole (not verified)

David

HOW ABOUT THIS FOR AN ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM: !!!!

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/gang-rape-is-it-a-race-issue-...

Mon, 2011-08-15 16:58 — PikeyMikey (not verified)

@ Mr Devine, why they're watching QVC and spending their benefits money on trunk massaging gadgets

Mon, 2011-08-15 21:16 — la potenza della speranza (not verified)

"HOW HAS MASS IMMIGRATION BENEFITTED THE WHITE WORKING CLASSES?"

Hmmm as a white, working class immigrant let me think.....

Mon, 2011-08-15 23:04 — Bill Jones (not verified)

@ la potenza della speranza,

If you're a skilled immigrant then I can well understand how it's benefited you. But somehow I don't think the raison d'etra of the UK's immigration policy should be to benefit you. The policies pursued by political leaders should be to support those nationals of that country. Or am I missing something???

Tue, 2011-08-16 00:10 — Dickie1

Bill,

I think you are missing an important point. The working-class left (like me) forlornly hope that left-wing parties will try to make life fairer on them, because it happened once or twice in the past. However, most politics is in the middle (when it isn't just lies), and all the focus on capitalist interests - like subsidising bankers and their casino. The right is a hopeless case, so like it or lump it we have to keep hoping the middle will have a reason to move to the left.

Tue, 2011-08-16 01:29 — Dickie1

About the 'rap'.

I think it is a little bit childish. Starkey amply made the case for his own foolishness without this, and it thus detracts from the argument.

That's just my gut feeling.

Tue, 2011-11-08 00:33 — freedom of speech (not verified)

Andre Smith
@RacistAndre San Diego, CA
Andre Smith is my name. I despise all races except my beautiful black brothers and sisters. I have a high paying job, and a daughter. I am 53 years old.

Tue, 2011-08-16 13:09 — swatantra

Yo! Go! Snoop Dog Starkey!
A bow-tie and a lack of patience and looking down your nose at oiks is no image to cultivate.
(I know he's not wearing a bow-tie this time round).

Tue, 2011-08-16 13:54 — Anthony Murray (not verified)

As an academic with an acquaintance with British history Starkey should be more aware of Enock Powell's absurd hypocrisy. There IS an area in the UK where immigrants swarmed in large numbers and not only refused to assimilate but arrogantly insisted on taking control. As a consequence there have been rivers of blood etc. That area is Northern Ireland; the immigrants are the Ascendancy Orange men and Powell chose to be their representative in the UK Parliament and he did nothing to ease the problems they imposed on all of us.

Tue, 2011-08-16 14:54 — Seaman T

Some get their kicks from dressing up as penguins and assuming superiority by the sheer pomp of their own pretentiousness, while others try to do the same by dressing down, taking on the sad role of the social outcast, or some other delusional reactionary anti hero, but always showing a tragicaly cheap preferrence for the quantity of the uneducated rhyme over the equally meaningless but more plausible rhetoric, of all trite prose. Without the redeeming blessing of a common meaning, society stands no chance against this mob of toffs and hooligans.

Tue, 2011-08-16 15:47 — David Staurt (not verified)

"The elephant in the room"

White culture produces tons of films, viedo games and TV that glorifies 'violent nihilistic gangster culture'

Then gives itself a pass and blames the blacks.

Mon, 2011-08-15 12:41 — A. Cole (not verified)

The elephant in the room:

HOW HAS MASS IMMIGRATION BENEFITTED THE WHITE WORKING CLASSES?

Mon, 2011-08-15 12:51 — Ollie_paulkossoff (not verified)

The elephant in the room:

How has the ending of the post-war consensus and the subsequent change to laissez-faire, free market neo-liberal capitalism benefited the working class of all races?