I really object to foreigners who have never lived in the UK trashing our country for their own political advantage. It's a not perfect, we know that, but it's for our own voters and government to deal with it, not outsiders. It is frightening how these rants and rumours are taken as gospel by a small minority and blown out of all proportion, also given far too much airtime on the news. As for London, I lived there, north and south, for 20 years; my work took me all over, and I never once saw, or suffered a crime being committed. I always felt quite safe.
The crazy part is too, Russia has been sewing these racist interference campaigns for more than 70 years or more, in UK, Europe and even China. It's what they do to weaken countries.
If there's one thing more irritating that foreigners thrashing London, it's people like Farage who purport to represent "mainstream" UK opinion doing the very same.
Such a shocking lack of patriotism should bar him public office. And if it doesn't, we can always go back to his terrible record on Brexit and the harm it has done to the country.
Never has one man done so much damage to so many whilst never having obtained high office
It is truly terrifying that this right wing nonsense is taken seriously by anyone. As for GB News setting up in America; I hope it comes with a warning - it is NOT a news channel, it is a platform for right wing propaganda, as numerous complainers to Ofcom have pointed out. One can only hope that 2026 will bring the end of the Trump era in the US; he is already losing popularity and being seen for what he is. As for Farage moving in to Number 10, that is nothing short of apocalyptic, Brexit on acid!
I love London! Spent many years there growing up, working, bringing up my eldest. I love to visit and feel safer in London late at night than I do in Edinburgh!!
Brilliant article - we must stop this rampant racism and fascist from infesting our country. We must push back, resist, call them out for the absolutely hateful nonsense Farage, Trump et al peddle.
I totally agree. There is too much apathy with some in Britain where voting is concerned. Yet they are often the first to complain when things don't suit them.
Liked, restacked & shared to Bluesky (as always). So Sir Paul Marshall is a curious mixture of generous philanthropy, selective Christian views (I am familiar with the church he attends, Holy Trinity Brompton - a very wealthy "anti-woke" evangelical church, where the Alpha Course), and claims "the other side" is "so committed to worshipping Satan, evil, homosexuality and corrupting children" [Wikipedia]. "He is the owner of UnHerd and The Spectator, and co-owner of GB News" [Wikipedia], and "he had an estimated net worth of £875 million in 2024". So he certainly does not represent the average Londoner, or even the average Brit, especially since he also donated to the Brexit campaign, and so helped to screw the UK.
When you look under the hood (bonnet here) you can see that all the rhetoric from the right and far-right (including the criminal in the White House and our very own garbage) is all about WHITE POWER. Yet if you look beyond the skin colour of everyone on this planet there is no difference between any two people. In the words of John Lennon "There may not be much difference between Richard Nixon and Chairman Mao, if you strip them naked".
We are all human beings and when one nation starts a war that displaces citizens and makes them seek refuge in other countries then refuses to show any humanity and take them in you know that nation is corrupt and looking for profit over people.
How many of the people in the UK have ever declared bankruptcy because of high health care costs? If garbage does get elected with help from his huge donors in the USA, the NHS will become a thing of the past and health care will have to be run to generate profits meaning the poorest in our country will suffer and die because they won't get health care.
Garbage is no man of the people he is the voice box for the wealthy, more so than Badenoch, Johnson, Truss, May, Cameron or Starmer. We need a socialist government now more than ever to shut up the mouth pieces of the wealthy, redistribute wealth by taxing those who have money heavily (not too heavily) and to limit political donations (and keep the donations within this country) to rut out foreign interference from the US and the Kremlin.
Excellent comment save for linking Starmer to the despicable Badenoch, Johnson, Truss, May?, Cameron. He is perhaps too pragmatic and slow but he is not a world beating deceitful liar like TRUMP, FARAGE, JOHNSON, TRUSS, REES-MOGG, MUSK, etc, to name but a few unfortunately for us all.
Didn't you check where Starmer is getting the bulk of Labour funds from these days? The 1% started backing Labour by pouring money into their coffers once Jeremy Corbyn had been suspended from the party, meaning that they were backing both blue and red TORIES!
The greedy rich will always try to hedge their bets that is not the fault of Starmer. All the honest Tories with integrity were removed by Johnson and his ilk there is no way Starmer could or should be called a tory of any colour. I repeat the world beating liars racists and deceivers are the likes of Trump, Farage, Truss, Tice, Putin, etc..
Starmer has been leading the Labour and Socialist Party since 2020 and it has swung so far to the right by kicking out as many openly socialist voices in the last 5 years as it could. Those to the left of centre remain but at what cost? They have the whip removed if they speak out against injustice (which is the prime appeal of socialism). In my view (plus his new found friend Tommy Robinson) makes him a red Tory, you have not convinced me that he is, or has ever been, a socialist.
This seems all so obvious as not to need saying but it clearly does so thanks. I have visited London regularly all my life and at 81 still love it. Have never seen crime or violence or felt threatened there but have met help, kindness and humour.
Trump is very dangerous and it's about time Keir Starmer stopped being so weak. I'll make it very clear, I despise the Labour Government but I also despise Farage and Trump.
We need immigration as long as it's legal. I know people that immigrated here and they are kind and very hard workers. Our NHS would even be in a worse position than it already is without immigration.
My husband and I take regular trips to London - sleeper down there on the Thursday, spend the Friday wandering around the museums, historical buildings, eating amazing food and drinking in the fabulous pubs, and then get the sleeper back to Scotland on the Friday night. Haven't done it since January and now totally in the mood for it. Terrible Tommy, Nasty Nige, Pathetic Paul and Dementia Donnie will never spoil London for me.
Really excellent article!
It needs a wide audience because there is a genuine threat from Trump and Farage.
I really object to foreigners who have never lived in the UK trashing our country for their own political advantage. It's a not perfect, we know that, but it's for our own voters and government to deal with it, not outsiders. It is frightening how these rants and rumours are taken as gospel by a small minority and blown out of all proportion, also given far too much airtime on the news. As for London, I lived there, north and south, for 20 years; my work took me all over, and I never once saw, or suffered a crime being committed. I always felt quite safe.
British media is a huge part of the problem, as ever
The crazy part is too, Russia has been sewing these racist interference campaigns for more than 70 years or more, in UK, Europe and even China. It's what they do to weaken countries.
If there's one thing more irritating that foreigners thrashing London, it's people like Farage who purport to represent "mainstream" UK opinion doing the very same.
Such a shocking lack of patriotism should bar him public office. And if it doesn't, we can always go back to his terrible record on Brexit and the harm it has done to the country.
Never has one man done so much damage to so many whilst never having obtained high office
It is truly terrifying that this right wing nonsense is taken seriously by anyone. As for GB News setting up in America; I hope it comes with a warning - it is NOT a news channel, it is a platform for right wing propaganda, as numerous complainers to Ofcom have pointed out. One can only hope that 2026 will bring the end of the Trump era in the US; he is already losing popularity and being seen for what he is. As for Farage moving in to Number 10, that is nothing short of apocalyptic, Brexit on acid!
The following letter appeared in yesterday's local Press, a letter which I think is too good not to be shared:
Getting to the bottom of Trump’s name calling!
IT is always illuminating when President Trump singles out people for censure.
This time, it’s London’s Mayor, Sadiq Khan, presumably for allowing nappy clad, bright orange balloons of Trump to be flown on his first state visit.
Now Khan is a “horrible person”.
Interesting to discover that Khan’s name means , “sovereign, king or prince” while Trump’s name means, “flatulence, fart or stink”.
Nigel Cummings,
Charlton Street, York
I love London! Spent many years there growing up, working, bringing up my eldest. I love to visit and feel safer in London late at night than I do in Edinburgh!!
Brilliant article - we must stop this rampant racism and fascist from infesting our country. We must push back, resist, call them out for the absolutely hateful nonsense Farage, Trump et al peddle.
I say ‘pish’ off!!!
Feels like this country is up for sale with a small few counting the gains. I don’t think enough people realise what’s at stake here
I totally agree. There is too much apathy with some in Britain where voting is concerned. Yet they are often the first to complain when things don't suit them.
What baffles me is why ANYONE listens to ANYTHING the moron in The White House utters.
Liked, restacked & shared to Bluesky (as always). So Sir Paul Marshall is a curious mixture of generous philanthropy, selective Christian views (I am familiar with the church he attends, Holy Trinity Brompton - a very wealthy "anti-woke" evangelical church, where the Alpha Course), and claims "the other side" is "so committed to worshipping Satan, evil, homosexuality and corrupting children" [Wikipedia]. "He is the owner of UnHerd and The Spectator, and co-owner of GB News" [Wikipedia], and "he had an estimated net worth of £875 million in 2024". So he certainly does not represent the average Londoner, or even the average Brit, especially since he also donated to the Brexit campaign, and so helped to screw the UK.
When you look under the hood (bonnet here) you can see that all the rhetoric from the right and far-right (including the criminal in the White House and our very own garbage) is all about WHITE POWER. Yet if you look beyond the skin colour of everyone on this planet there is no difference between any two people. In the words of John Lennon "There may not be much difference between Richard Nixon and Chairman Mao, if you strip them naked".
We are all human beings and when one nation starts a war that displaces citizens and makes them seek refuge in other countries then refuses to show any humanity and take them in you know that nation is corrupt and looking for profit over people.
How many of the people in the UK have ever declared bankruptcy because of high health care costs? If garbage does get elected with help from his huge donors in the USA, the NHS will become a thing of the past and health care will have to be run to generate profits meaning the poorest in our country will suffer and die because they won't get health care.
Garbage is no man of the people he is the voice box for the wealthy, more so than Badenoch, Johnson, Truss, May, Cameron or Starmer. We need a socialist government now more than ever to shut up the mouth pieces of the wealthy, redistribute wealth by taxing those who have money heavily (not too heavily) and to limit political donations (and keep the donations within this country) to rut out foreign interference from the US and the Kremlin.
Excellent comment save for linking Starmer to the despicable Badenoch, Johnson, Truss, May?, Cameron. He is perhaps too pragmatic and slow but he is not a world beating deceitful liar like TRUMP, FARAGE, JOHNSON, TRUSS, REES-MOGG, MUSK, etc, to name but a few unfortunately for us all.
Didn't you check where Starmer is getting the bulk of Labour funds from these days? The 1% started backing Labour by pouring money into their coffers once Jeremy Corbyn had been suspended from the party, meaning that they were backing both blue and red TORIES!
The greedy rich will always try to hedge their bets that is not the fault of Starmer. All the honest Tories with integrity were removed by Johnson and his ilk there is no way Starmer could or should be called a tory of any colour. I repeat the world beating liars racists and deceivers are the likes of Trump, Farage, Truss, Tice, Putin, etc..
Starmer has been leading the Labour and Socialist Party since 2020 and it has swung so far to the right by kicking out as many openly socialist voices in the last 5 years as it could. Those to the left of centre remain but at what cost? They have the whip removed if they speak out against injustice (which is the prime appeal of socialism). In my view (plus his new found friend Tommy Robinson) makes him a red Tory, you have not convinced me that he is, or has ever been, a socialist.
This festive season I'm hoping the AI bubble bursts big time.
This seems all so obvious as not to need saying but it clearly does so thanks. I have visited London regularly all my life and at 81 still love it. Have never seen crime or violence or felt threatened there but have met help, kindness and humour.
Very well written Matt Gallagher.
Trump is very dangerous and it's about time Keir Starmer stopped being so weak. I'll make it very clear, I despise the Labour Government but I also despise Farage and Trump.
We need immigration as long as it's legal. I know people that immigrated here and they are kind and very hard workers. Our NHS would even be in a worse position than it already is without immigration.
My husband and I take regular trips to London - sleeper down there on the Thursday, spend the Friday wandering around the museums, historical buildings, eating amazing food and drinking in the fabulous pubs, and then get the sleeper back to Scotland on the Friday night. Haven't done it since January and now totally in the mood for it. Terrible Tommy, Nasty Nige, Pathetic Paul and Dementia Donnie will never spoil London for me.
London arguably does need to be liberated – from the Financiers.
Keep spreading the truth far and wide and counter all the far right lies and misinformation.
Well said!