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Andrew Marsh's avatar

I have relatives living in Eire.

My grandparents came from Eire.

However, I am English and while have nothing against the people of Eire, am aware that I have no greater access to the country than anyone from any other country.

Indeed, being English 'sets me apart' - especially from the Eire political klass.

I don't get that anywhere else in the world.

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Dougie 4's avatar

"Gray has enjoyed a long career in the British civil service."

Whether the British people have enjoyed it is another matter.

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FionainSubstack's avatar

I’ve heard similar shite about people of Caribbean descent. They were invited after the War. Invited. More right to be there than Sir Snuffel of Wessex to be honest. They built the UK as did the Irish before them.

My cousin, Irish, in the 70’s was paid for by Barclay’s bank - out of school, 17, no degree - to work in the bank. A whole shed load of them from his class. Plane and hotel. Invited. Not a refugee. A happy chappy who’s now back in Ireland as London’s ‘gone down the drain’!

Honestly the people in power are just idiots. The level of zero useful education or desire for enlightenment is frightening.

Today with Gibraltar in the news — Prompted me to recall that many kids from London - teens and early 20’s - when I said that I used to work there - the majority said ‘Where’s that?’ Sigh! Next stop for them - Government!

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John Scales's avatar

Mr McDonnell needs to get his history book out. I believe there has been a lot of high profile people in political life in the UK that came from Ireland. I believe Churchill's minister for information was Brendan Bracken.

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All Mouth And Trousers's avatar

There was a Dubliner called Arthur Wellesley, you should look him up.

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Ray Pothecary's avatar

Perhaps McDonnell should put down his Bible (Das Kapital, I assume) and read something with a ring of truth to it ... Animal Farm might b a good place to start.

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Jeremy Poynton's avatar

Man’s a retard. Pay him no heed. I’d forgotten it even existed.

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Robin Bury's avatar

Thanks Laura. This subject of the Irish in England is brilliantly covered by John Foster in Ireland out of England and by Clair Wills in Missing Persons. Yes the brilliant CTA has helped huge numbers of Irish to get work in England post independence. Also Ireland was never a colony. An Irish chieftain invited a Welsh Norman baron to come to Ireland to help him. Like Scotland and Wales no colony. But the Irish played a major role in many British colonies as doctors, teachers, administrators and in some colonies as farmers.

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All Mouth And Trousers's avatar

Marxists don't believe in borders, just walls and fences to keep their people in.

The photo of the "No Irish, no blacks no dogs" sign was famously one from the late 1980s ( you can see it is written in marker pen if you look carefully). https://www.irishpost.com/life-style/infamous-no-irish-no-blacks-no-dogs-signs-may-never-have-existed-racist-xenophobic-148416

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