We see it in the news almost every day, talk about the small boats, flags, protests, othering of marginalised communities. Does the UK have a racism problem? Abi, Member of the Somerset Youth Parliament Advisory Group, addresses the issue of how scary the current climate can feel for people of colour in her article in the form of a commentary – and she corrects a few preconceptions while she’s at it.
Well,
I meaaaaaan,
It’s just, if I were you, I wouldn’t think it’s so red and white you know?
I’ve just seen the English flag in Jessie’s window.
Yeah, I’ve seen a ton actually, it was really scary, the road you live on has always given me bad vibes.
What?! Why does your mum have one up? I swore she liked me!
How come black people get blamed for low wages? Like -she does know that non-UK-born black employees earn 12% less than UK-born white employees (Ethnicity pay gaps, UK – Office for National Statistics), right?
Especially with modern day wage theft, where CEO pay at top UK companies is 52 times higher than a typical worker (CEO pay at UK’s top companies is 52 times that of typical worker, report finds | Executive pay and bonuses | The Guardian).
I don’t know, the hotels asylum seekers live in are horrid, they don’t get breaks in bed and £50 per week with a free fish and chips like you see online. Most have fled from war zones, persecution or subjugation. The only option of food is rubbery scrambled eggs, dry rice and something yellow made with lentils. Until they’ve been through the asylum system, they’re not allowed to work – even though most would love to if they could. (A day in the life of an asylum hotel: inside the UK’s most controversial accommodation | Immigration and asylum | The Guardian)
Say that again?
Blaming immigrants because she lost her job is crazy!
How can she say those things when she knows my mum, knows that we were never handed any freebies by the government?
Crazy!!
But how can you say she’s still a good person when she really believes that?
She’s good to you.
Yea yeah I get it,
Look I’ve got to eat dinner
See you
Abigail.
Not just elected members
Did you know that Somerset Youth Parliament isn’t just it’s elected members? Any young person in Somerset aged 10-25 years can become a member of the Somerset Youth Parliament Advisory Group.
For more information about becoming a member of the Somerset Youth Parliament Advisory Group and to join, visit our Join Us page.
