Peace reigns in the UK

What you need to know:

  • It cannot be contested that some in Britain’s under-class demonstrated their hatred for foreigners, but there was no mosque-burning as in France, mainly shouted insults at people on the bus and graffiti on Polish social centres.

  • Racist chants at football matches are a thing of the past, avowedly xenophobic groups like the British National Party have virtually withered away, and just last May, Sadiq Khan, a British-born Asian, received an unprecedented one million votes as the new mayor of London.

The summer of 2016 is proving the most tumultuous this country has known for decades. A nationwide referendum narrowly decided that we should leave the European Union, and one result of this is that Scotland may decide to leave the United Kingdom.

The defeated prime minister resigned and another took his place, purging his aides as she did so. The opposition Labour party split wide open after electing a leader who is not supported by many of his own party’s MPs.

Police reports said the forthcoming severance from Europe prompted a sharp rise in hate crimes by emboldened racists. Worst of all, a Labour MP, Jo Cox, was murdered after a political meeting, apparently by a man shouting the rightist slogan, “Britain First”. The pound sterling dropped like a stone and some big foreign companies expressed doubts about their continued investment in the UK.

So, huge headlines, accusations, recriminations and predictions of doom … not the sort of thing we like to see here in Britain, at least not all at once. But hang on. It’s not Armageddon, either.

With the tragic exception of Ms Cox, not a drop of blood was shed over these dramatic weeks, our streets were not filled with rioters, no state of emergency was pronounced, the military were not placed on alert, nobody went on strike and the change in government leadership was conducted according to constitutional requirements.

Compare this to, say, Turkey, where an attempt to change government by force cost 265 lives and led to thousands of arrests and job dismissals in a brutal response of revenge and repression.

It cannot be contested that some in Britain’s under-class demonstrated their hatred for foreigners, but there was no mosque-burning as in France, mainly shouted insults at people on the bus and graffiti on Polish social centres. Racist chants at football matches are a thing of the past, avowedly xenophobic groups like the British National Party have virtually withered away, and just last May, Sadiq Khan, a British-born Asian, received an unprecedented one million votes as the new mayor of London.

If a nation can undergo political change of earthquake proportions and nobody fears for his personal safety, well, this is something to be thankful for in this violent, intolerant world.

***

Judging by a column titled “Rush Hour Crush”, which appears in the national free paper, Metro, the commuter world is full of frustrated lovers. A fellow spots a girl on the Tube or a girl spots a young man on a station platform, pulses quicken and hearts pound, then poufff, the chance has gone.

The rueful travellers then write to Metro in a desperate effort to get back in touch.

Below are a few recent entries.

To the guy I spoke to about Wi-Fi names on the way to Coventry. Fancy another Wi-Fi encounter over drinks? From Wi-Fi Geek, Coventry.

Beautiful Nigerian lady from Romford who I sat next to on the Jubilee line. I said keep looking in the Metro. Please reply. From Lagos Veteran.

Amazing lady in a black top, dark blue jeans and brown shoes reading a book on the District line on Thursday at 10.15 pm. Fancy a drink some time? From Black Guy in Brown Cap.

Tall, dark-haired guy with the wicked smile waiting for the 11.55 pm train from London Victoria to Orpington on Wednesday, I am the girl in the black skater dress who you nearly walked into twice. Maybe we could be wicked together some time. Fancy a drink? From Musical Lover.

Slim, Eastern European girl with dark hair tied up on the 5.47 am every day from Sutton to Balham, you are gorgeous. How about dinner? From Hunky Guy in Shorts.

What puzzles me is why these lovelorn hearts don’t make their pitch when they have the chance, especially Hunky Guy in Shorts who sees the love of his life every day!

***

Talking of commuting and civil peace, I walked through our station recently and heard some fine piano playing. Against a wall stood a piano with the notice, “Play a Tune for the Town”. Anybody can lift the lid and play at will. Now that’s nice. And so far, nobody has tried to steal the piano.

***

Single man: What is the best month to get married? Married man: Octembruary. Single man: Don’t be silly, there is no such month. Married man: Exactly!

Girl: Do you have a house? Boy: No, but… Girl: Do you have a BMW? Boy: No, but … Girl: How much is your salary? Boy: I don’t have a salary, but… Girl: Forget it! I’m not going to marry a pauper. Boy, sighing as he watches her retreating back, But … I have three villas, a Ferrari and a Porsche and I don’t take a salary because I own the company …