Mr Letwin

[old'un]

Your views, was he being raciest or just telling it how it was.

Newly-released files from the National Archives show that Mr Letwin - then an adviser to Margaret Thatcher - said "bad moral attitudes" were responsible for major unrest in mainly black inner-city areas, rather than urban deprivation.

He also dismissed ministers' proposals to encourage a new class of black entrepreneurs,

because they would simply establish businesses in the "disco and drug trade".

In a document co-written with Hartley Booth, who also went on to be a Tory MP,

Mr Letwin wrote: "The root of social malaise is not poor housing, or youth 'alienation', or the lack of a middle class.

"Lower-class, unemployed white people lived for years in appalling slums without a breakdown of public order on anything like the present scale.

"Riots, criminality and social disintegration are caused solely by individual characters and attitudes.

"So long as bad moral attitudes remain, all efforts to improve the inner cities will founder."

The major disturbances, which erupted in the autumn of 1985, were among the worst in recent British history -

and included riots in Birmingham, Brixton and Broadwater Farm in Tottenham, north London, where Pc Keith Blakelock was stabbed to death.

[Vince Green]

It almost certainly reflected the views of a lot of other people in positions of authority at the time. I can only speak for London, Brixton has cleaned up a lot since then but Tottenham if anything is worse.

 

The whole thing about PC and non PC speaking is this in my opinion. If that was his honest and sincere belief then he has every right to say it. Preventing people from saying what they think by calling their views racist is just a tactic.

 

That tactic is still being used again today by the usual suspects for their own ends.

[Gordon R]

He also dismissed ministers' proposals to encourage a new class of black entrepreneurs,

 

because they would simply establish businesses in the "disco and drug trade".

 

 

That part is a generalisation and a slur. The rest of what he said makes sense.

[felly100]

The one think I struggle with ,is what makes a young Etonian qualified to advise the Prime Minister on inner city issues.

[Medic1281]

What makes any mp qualified to be an mp? It's one job where you need no qualifications.

[poontang]

It's as true now as it was back in the 80's.

 

Nothing's changed, and unfortunately it's never likely too.

[felly100]

....

Edited December 30, 2015 by felly100

[felly100]

What makes any mp qualified to be an mp? It's one job where you need no qualifications.

He became an MP in 1997.

[STOTTO]

He became an MP in 1997.

 

Revelations that appear on the news have a habit of modifying an MP’s previously hard-held views!

[Cranfield]

I think most of us could be locked up if we expressed now, the thoughts we might have had in 1985.

 

I consider this a "no news" item and the fact that Dianne Abbot is blathering all over the media about it, confirms my view even more.

[Dekers]

We were living in a different age, I'm not suggesting his comments were good or bad, right or wrong, but it was a different era, of different standards/perceptions.

 

Some may well remember "Love thy Neighbour" during the 70's, it was a roaring success and a great comedy, but would never have a chance of being made today!

 

The UK and the world has changed a lot since then, where do you want to stop, we had Robinsons Gollywogs for may years which millions enjoyed collecting, but then it became un PC.

[Dekers]

I think most of us could be locked up if we expressed now, the thoughts we might have had in 1985.

 

I consider this a "no news" item and the fact that Dianne Abbot is blathering all over the media about it, confirms my view even more.

 

 

 

When you think about it the news has been really slim on the ground for a week or more, and with all due deference to those actually going through the devastating floods, I actually wonder what the media would have done to fill all the time slots without them!

[chrisjh]

Utter disgrace should resign immediately its exactly this type of individual thats the root cause of so many problems in today's society

[STOTTO]

Utter disgrace should resign immediately its exactly this type of individual thats the root cause of so many problems in today's society

 

Unlike the blameless rioters then?

[Oxfordshooter]

No, it's the rioters who murdered and tried to cut off PC Colin Blakelock's head and then mount it on a pole are the ones who should feel the disgrace.

[Clint1]

Think what you want. Just don't say it out loud. Most police and prison officers have had to learn that trick. Thankfully I don't work in that environment anymore and can say what I want about the ******* **** ********.

Most refreshing.

[old'un]

Utter disgrace should resign immediately its exactly this type of individual thats the root cause of so many problems in today's society

No its the do-gooders that *****d this country up.

[Vince Green]

I think most of us could be locked up if we expressed now, the thoughts we might have had in 1985.

 

I consider this a "no news" item and the fact that Dianne Abbot is blathering all over the media about it, confirms my view even more.

Actually, Diane Abbot has been probably the most 'racist' and 'sexist' MP we have ever had, she has made a career out of pointing the finger, stirring up trouble where there wasn't any trouble.

 

Would her face be on the TV today if she hadn't been making accusations? that says it all really

Edited December 30, 2015 by Vince Green

[Vince Green]

Think what you want. Just don't say it out loud. Most police and prison officers have had to learn that trick. Thankfully I don't work in that environment anymore and can say what I want about the ******* **** ********.

Most refreshing.

Same in the NHS but its a culture of fear, if one staff member makes an accusation against another staff member its very rare that the person on the receiving end of the complaint keeps their job, even though the case may be very dubious

[TIGHTCHOKE]

I think most of us could be locked up if we expressed now, the thoughts we might have had in 1985.

 

I consider this a "no news" item and the fact that Dianne Abbot is blathering all over the media about it, confirms my view even more.

 

The man is on the money!

[Hamster]

 

 

 

When you think about it the news has been really slim on the ground for a week or more, and with all due deference to those actually going through the devastating floods, I actually wonder what the media would have done to fill all the time slots without them!

 

That's about the size of it, I often wonder whether there really is a back room where they drip feed racially sensitive titbits to keep the social media hate simmering away. It's just so predictable, most decent people with a morsel of intelligence can see profiling tens of millions if not billions as somehow innately criminally minded or immoral is absolute tosh, it of course ignores the millions of these same people who work in every single sector of society as perfect citizens but instead promotes and magnifies the stereotype Hollywood manufactured bad black man.

 

Then there's the type without said morsel who see and seize an opportunity in announcing to the world that he's only being silenced for speaking the troof. If you ever want to see the other side of the argument then walk a mile in their shoes and pause to reflect. White, black and brown are all capable of crime and also of good.

[loriusgarrulus]

Maybe we should round up all the black and white minstrels too. Disgusting behavior.

[powler]

I think most of us could be locked up if we expressed now, the thoughts we might have had in 1985.

 

I consider this a "no news" item and the fact that Dianne Abbot is blathering all over the media about it, confirms my view even more.

So right and imagine if he had an opinion in 1955, 1965 or even 1975 and in fact many other politicians would have had those views in those decades?

 

Mick

[old'un]

That's about the size of it, I often wonder whether there really is a back room where they drip feed racially sensitive titbits to keep the social media hate simmering away. It's just so predictable, most decent people with a morsel of intelligence can see profiling tens of millions if not billions as somehow innately criminally minded or immoral is absolute tosh, it of course ignores the millions of these same people who work in every single sector of society as perfect citizens but instead promotes and magnifies the stereotype Hollywood manufactured bad black man.

 

Then there's the type without said morsel who see and seize an opportunity in announcing to the world that he's only being silenced for speaking the troof. If you ever want to see the other side of the argument then walk a mile in their shoes and pause to reflect. White, black and brown are all capable of crime and also of good.

I presume your views come from personal experience then? Or have they come from what you read in social media.

[Dr D]

To err is human. He has apologised for something said 20 years ago. Surely we should judge him by his current behaviour? Perhaps upon reflection he is better human being for having apparently changed his misguided views over the intervening two decades. Dare I say it, he may even be a better MP as a result?