Take away the specifics of fishing, and the outcome is identical in many if not most towns throughout the country. As the aritcle correctly points out – the export of labour – fish processing in this case, but manufacturing in most others – set the ball rolling on the destruction of these towns, and then to compound matters, and almost as though washing its hands of the people now deemed surplus to requirements, the government then started importing whole cities worth of migrants.
With traditional work and manufacturing a thing of the past, the interests of big buisness and the obsessive short term focus on GDP growth then took absolute priority. An undending queue of workers willing to work for next to nothing combined with (and had a large part in enabling) an educational system that became interested only in maximising university admissions at the overt cost of providing an alternative for the academically disinclined in the form of well funded, well resourced and well promoted further education, apprenticeships and other vocational training. The result: huge swathes of the citizenry essentially locked out of decently paid employment & career prospects by a combination of bargining power obliteration and a tragic paucity of skills and training.
Though largely invisible to the better off – notably the elites and their ‘enlightened’ cheerleaders – the damage of mass immigration is blindingly obvious to anybody living in many sections of our cities or in the many dying towns up and down the country. We have millions of people who could have been skilled workers or tradesmen, but rather than making any effort to train them (or to even advise them of such careers) we took the easy import option, and then to add insult to injury we left them no other choice but to subsist in terribly payed jobs; their wages kept to the absolute minimum because their bosses knew they could be replaced at the drop of a hat by a glut of imported workers willing to work for half their pay. Rinse and repeat for years on end, and on top of the fragmented and completely transformed communities we have hundreds of towns like Grimsby – devoid of hope and aspiration; the residents’ bleak existence compelling destructive behaviours, crime, ill health, and spirals of generational decline. And until our overlords see what caused the problem, or perhaps just simply even start caring, things will only get worse.
The keys to successful democracies are power balances. A political right balanced by a political left, an independent judiciary to reign executive overreach, independent media able to shine a light in dark areas.
When the political left abandoned the indigenous working class, its core constituency in most western countries, a very important power balance was lost.
The “maximisation of university admissions” without any prioritisation of useful courses has now bled so far into the media and judiciary the independence of those organs is also threatened.
Populism is probably the only truly countervailing power to complete control by the oligarchs. Unfortunately, populism also has a history of leading to dark places and definitely does not favour power structures that may restrain it.
We have let something incredibly valuable slip away.
”Unfortunately, populism also has a history of leading to dark places”
This is the myth we are taught to be able to attack anyone not a blind follower of lefty/Liberalism and socialism. Unless you call Mayo a ‘Populaist’ leader (killed up to 100,000,000 of his won people) and the other monsters in history who were not usually populists.
”Unfortunately, populism also has a history of leading to dark places”
This is the myth we are taught to be able to attack anyone not a blind follower of lefty/Liberalism and socialism. Unless you call Mayo a ‘Populaist’ leader (killed up to 100,000,000 of his won people) and the other monsters in history who were not usually populists.
This was a very interesting article, just as a good read. As you say, it is not different from other towns where industry declined in a similar way. My own home town employed thousands on the railways and in car production. All gone.
I also learnt that people from Grimsby are called Grimbarians.
Manufacturing has gone and will only return when it will be cheaper to make something in England than in China. The UK taught the world how to make things and is now suffering for it.
I have one point of criticism of your post. You say, “And until our overlords see what caused the problem, or perhaps just simply even start caring, things will only get worse.” Why should this happen – it is so unlikely as to be impossible.
This wishful thinking, this hope that a messiah will come and make us mighty again, is negative and dangerous. For example, the messiah might say, “Everyone must stay in their homes so that we can save money by not heating buildings in the city centre”. Would UnHerders just agree because the messiah was a great person?
The sheer negativity of wishful thinking is one of the things stopping us from doing things.
Sort of take your point Chris, but what else left is there but the hope that the people in charge of the country might see the damage – the cynical shorterism- and decide to change tack. I’m not quite yet at the point where I see only a messiah type figure as bringing this about, not least because I think more and more of the public are beginning to see what we can.
And as much I’m skeptical of Labour rule, I do think Starmer’s recently expressed position on immigration was extremely welcome news – as he identified correctly many of things I point out above – and even had many lefties nodding along.
So, maybe, just maybe, theres time to turn things around, or at the least limit the damage. All I can do is try to point out the myriad pitfalls of mass immigration to people whenever given the opportunity. And happily think the xenephobe / racist / bigot slur has been that overused its lost its magic power to end the discussion.
And I sort of agree with you. UnHerd is very anti-Labour. But the Tories have done all the bad things in the last three or four years. The Tories have followed the USA into mad wokeness. The Tories are running around like blue-a*sed flies, falling over each other, making gaffes and generally looking like amateurs. Maybe it is time to give Labour another chance – but I do worry about the hovering presence of Gordon Brown (and even Blair).
But Labour is also infected by “mad wokeness”, and I think to a greater degree than the Tories. Don’t get me wrong, I would love there to be a Labour party that I could vote for, but I don’t think that it’s there yet.
So, what is the answer? Back to wishing for a messiah to arrive and save us all.
Labour does have one advantage – its members actually do things. They are activists. They don’t just sit in front of a computer and type.
I agree with you. Labour could be worse than the Tories.
There are only two solutions and neither have much hope:
1) Change the system completely. This means that people who write, UnHerders, magazine authors start to criticise the system rather than picking on a political party. Any who starts a sentence with … “The Lefties…” is just a waste of space. When people start talking about changing the system you have a chance.
2) Rejoin the EU and just absorb all the c**p.
So, what is the answer? Back to wishing for a messiah to arrive and save us all.
Labour does have one advantage – its members actually do things. They are activists. They don’t just sit in front of a computer and type.
I agree with you. Labour could be worse than the Tories.
There are only two solutions and neither have much hope:
1) Change the system completely. This means that people who write, UnHerders, magazine authors start to criticise the system rather than picking on a political party. Any who starts a sentence with … “The Lefties…” is just a waste of space. When people start talking about changing the system you have a chance.
2) Rejoin the EU and just absorb all the c**p.
But Labour is also infected by “mad wokeness”, and I think to a greater degree than the Tories. Don’t get me wrong, I would love there to be a Labour party that I could vote for, but I don’t think that it’s there yet.
And I sort of agree with you. UnHerd is very anti-Labour. But the Tories have done all the bad things in the last three or four years. The Tories have followed the USA into mad wokeness. The Tories are running around like blue-a*sed flies, falling over each other, making gaffes and generally looking like amateurs. Maybe it is time to give Labour another chance – but I do worry about the hovering presence of Gordon Brown (and even Blair).
Funny you should bring up the ‘Messiah’ hope. I live some 7,000 miles west of Grimsby, but about 10 years ago I published a book called ‘The JOB Messiahs’, listing all the nutty schemes promoted by overpaid public ‘experts’ to revive our local economy — and nothing worked out. But then, why should it? Just as in Grimsby, our local industries got started without any government aid — so why should government initiatives work this time?
Sort of take your point Chris, but what else left is there but the hope that the people in charge of the country might see the damage – the cynical shorterism- and decide to change tack. I’m not quite yet at the point where I see only a messiah type figure as bringing this about, not least because I think more and more of the public are beginning to see what we can.
And as much I’m skeptical of Labour rule, I do think Starmer’s recently expressed position on immigration was extremely welcome news – as he identified correctly many of things I point out above – and even had many lefties nodding along.
So, maybe, just maybe, theres time to turn things around, or at the least limit the damage. All I can do is try to point out the myriad pitfalls of mass immigration to people whenever given the opportunity. And happily think the xenephobe / racist / bigot slur has been that overused its lost its magic power to end the discussion.
Funny you should bring up the ‘Messiah’ hope. I live some 7,000 miles west of Grimsby, but about 10 years ago I published a book called ‘The JOB Messiahs’, listing all the nutty schemes promoted by overpaid public ‘experts’ to revive our local economy — and nothing worked out. But then, why should it? Just as in Grimsby, our local industries got started without any government aid — so why should government initiatives work this time?
Ten, maybe even five years ago, I would have argued against the sentiments in this post. Now, I would whole heartedly endorse them. The hollowing out of vast swathes of this countries productive capacity has been horrific to behold. All political parties are guilty. We know the problem, we as a country now need to find the solution, and fast. The last 25 years of globalised technocratic government has no answers.
Yes, I agree it is a similar picture across England. It is difficult to see how manufacturing has a future. The cost of electricity is very high for production and then the cost of fuel is very high for distribution.
There does not seem to be any political will to tackle this.
The keys to successful democracies are power balances. A political right balanced by a political left, an independent judiciary to reign executive overreach, independent media able to shine a light in dark areas.
When the political left abandoned the indigenous working class, its core constituency in most western countries, a very important power balance was lost.
The “maximisation of university admissions” without any prioritisation of useful courses has now bled so far into the media and judiciary the independence of those organs is also threatened.
Populism is probably the only truly countervailing power to complete control by the oligarchs. Unfortunately, populism also has a history of leading to dark places and definitely does not favour power structures that may restrain it.
We have let something incredibly valuable slip away.
This was a very interesting article, just as a good read. As you say, it is not different from other towns where industry declined in a similar way. My own home town employed thousands on the railways and in car production. All gone.
I also learnt that people from Grimsby are called Grimbarians.
Manufacturing has gone and will only return when it will be cheaper to make something in England than in China. The UK taught the world how to make things and is now suffering for it.
I have one point of criticism of your post. You say, “And until our overlords see what caused the problem, or perhaps just simply even start caring, things will only get worse.” Why should this happen – it is so unlikely as to be impossible.
This wishful thinking, this hope that a messiah will come and make us mighty again, is negative and dangerous. For example, the messiah might say, “Everyone must stay in their homes so that we can save money by not heating buildings in the city centre”. Would UnHerders just agree because the messiah was a great person?
The sheer negativity of wishful thinking is one of the things stopping us from doing things.
Ten, maybe even five years ago, I would have argued against the sentiments in this post. Now, I would whole heartedly endorse them. The hollowing out of vast swathes of this countries productive capacity has been horrific to behold. All political parties are guilty. We know the problem, we as a country now need to find the solution, and fast. The last 25 years of globalised technocratic government has no answers.
Yes, I agree it is a similar picture across England. It is difficult to see how manufacturing has a future. The cost of electricity is very high for production and then the cost of fuel is very high for distribution.
There does not seem to be any political will to tackle this.
Jim Jam
1 year ago
Take away the specifics of fishing, and the outcome is identical in many if not most towns throughout the country. As the aritcle correctly points out – the export of labour – fish processing in this case, but manufacturing in most others – set the ball rolling on the destruction of these towns, and then to compound matters, and almost as though washing its hands of the people now deemed surplus to requirements, the government then started importing whole cities worth of migrants.
With traditional work and manufacturing a thing of the past, the interests of big buisness and the obsessive short term focus on GDP growth then took absolute priority. An undending queue of workers willing to work for next to nothing combined with (and had a large part in enabling) an educational system that became interested only in maximising university admissions at the overt cost of providing an alternative for the academically disinclined in the form of well funded, well resourced and well promoted further education, apprenticeships and other vocational training. The result: huge swathes of the citizenry essentially locked out of decently paid employment & career prospects by a combination of bargining power obliteration and a tragic paucity of skills and training.
Though largely invisible to the better off – notably the elites and their ‘enlightened’ cheerleaders – the damage of mass immigration is blindingly obvious to anybody living in many sections of our cities or in the many dying towns up and down the country. We have millions of people who could have been skilled workers or tradesmen, but rather than making any effort to train them (or to even advise them of such careers) we took the easy import option, and then to add insult to injury we left them no other choice but to subsist in terribly payed jobs; their wages kept to the absolute minimum because their bosses knew they could be replaced at the drop of a hat by a glut of imported workers willing to work for half their pay. Rinse and repeat for years on end, and on top of the fragmented and completely transformed communities we have hundreds of towns like Grimsby – devoid of hope and aspiration; the residents’ bleak existence compelling destructive behaviours, crime, ill health, and spirals of generational decline. And until our overlords see what caused the problem, or perhaps just simply even start caring, things will only get worse.
Last edited 1 year ago by Jim Jam
Matt M
1 year ago
“Eventually, and grudgingly, Brussels offered substantial subsidies for British fishing”
Brussels never gave Britain any subsidy whatsoever. Britain was always a net contributor to the EEC/EU. Any money given by the EU to Grimsby was taken from British taxpayers.
After watching how the British Gov gave their fish rights to EU I was surprised they did not license EU sheep farmers to land on Scottish shores and round up the sheep and take them back to Holland as their right to British Resources.
Having been part of the commercial fishing and processing it struck very close to my heart of see Britain prostitute out its native waters to European powers for pennies….
Giving away our birthrights – be it our waters, our homeland through mass immigration, our oil and gas reserves, our sovereignty to the EU – is a speciality of the British ruling class.
Giving away our birthrights – be it our waters, our homeland through mass immigration, our oil and gas reserves, our sovereignty to the EU – is a speciality of the British ruling class.
After watching how the British Gov gave their fish rights to EU I was surprised they did not license EU sheep farmers to land on Scottish shores and round up the sheep and take them back to Holland as their right to British Resources.
Having been part of the commercial fishing and processing it struck very close to my heart of see Britain prostitute out its native waters to European powers for pennies….
Matt M
1 year ago
“Eventually, and grudgingly, Brussels offered substantial subsidies for British fishing”
Brussels never gave Britain any subsidy whatsoever. Britain was always a net contributor to the EEC/EU. Any money given by the EU to Grimsby was taken from British taxpayers.
Last edited 1 year ago by Matt M
CHARLES STANHOPE
1 year ago
The anachronistic Barnett Formula, (1978)which heavily subsides
those notorious ‘benefit junkies’, the Northern Irish, the Scotch and the Welsh, should be scrapped immediately and the funds saved diverted to Grimsby and many other worthy English towns.
It is a national disgrace that the aforementioned ‘parasites’ have been indulged for so long, and that they have absolutely NO sense of shame when squealing for yet more subsidy
Enough is enough.
There’s a Welshman’s uptick for you. Most Welsh politicians need a kick up the *aris piece*. Some deserve a noose around their necks. *That’s a proper seaman’s term. Admiralty Manual of Seamanship Volume 1 refers.
There’s a Welshman’s uptick for you. Most Welsh politicians need a kick up the *aris piece*. Some deserve a noose around their necks. *That’s a proper seaman’s term. Admiralty Manual of Seamanship Volume 1 refers.
CHARLES STANHOPE
1 year ago
The anachronistic Barnett Formula, (1978)which heavily subsides
those notorious ‘benefit junkies’, the Northern Irish, the Scotch and the Welsh, should be scrapped immediately and the funds saved diverted to Grimsby and many other worthy English towns.
It is a national disgrace that the aforementioned ‘parasites’ have been indulged for so long, and that they have absolutely NO sense of shame when squealing for yet more subsidy
Enough is enough.
R Wright
1 year ago
Grimsby, Hull and Scunsthorpe. All sacrificed on the altar of London declinism and worship of the continental bureaucrat. What a disaster.
R Wright
1 year ago
Grimsby, Hull and Scunsthorpe. All sacrificed on the altar of London declinism and worship of the continental bureaucrat. What a disaster.
David Ginsberg
1 year ago
I worked at the Youngs coated fish factory back in the late 90’s. Grimsby was very much food town with lots of plants producing frozen and fresh food for the UK and beyond. Though fish was the main area there were other food being processed such as pizzas. I always found that Grimsby and neighbouring Cleethorpes had a strong identity and sense of community. I enjoyed living there though the work at the factory was a challenge. undoubtedly there were problems particularly drugs which flowed in from nearby Immingham and the transition from a fishing led economy to one led by food processing had left a lot of people behind. I have many fond memories of my time there and though people could at first be a bit frosty once they got to know you they were extremely welcoming.
David Ginsberg
1 year ago
I worked at the Youngs coated fish factory back in the late 90’s. Grimsby was very much food town with lots of plants producing frozen and fresh food for the UK and beyond. Though fish was the main area there were other food being processed such as pizzas. I always found that Grimsby and neighbouring Cleethorpes had a strong identity and sense of community. I enjoyed living there though the work at the factory was a challenge. undoubtedly there were problems particularly drugs which flowed in from nearby Immingham and the transition from a fishing led economy to one led by food processing had left a lot of people behind. I have many fond memories of my time there and though people could at first be a bit frosty once they got to know you they were extremely welcoming.
CHARLES STANHOPE
1 year ago
Yet only 45 miles to the south west “as the sparrow flies”, is the finest Gothic Fane in England, if not the World, Lincoln Cathedral!
Do sparrows fly that far? Aren’t they mainly localised aves?
Jesting apart, your point is valid. If our medieval craftsmen could produce such wonders, what would their modern-day equivalent be doing now? A refocusing on skills and crafts has already been suggested in Comments, and i agree. It brings the prospect of not only decent wages but the satisfaction of an end product that may stand the test of time, as the example you cite has done.
Those skills are still available, as the current restoration to a very high standard of the magnificent Rochdale town hall testifies: A Look Inside: Behind-the-scenes of Rochdale Town Hall’s multi-million pound restoration | ITV News Granada
It was joke! An alternative to Crows if you like.
You need to book yourself in for a Comprehension check!
I wasn’t making an argument but stating a FACT, that Lincoln Cathedral is the finest Gothic Cathedral in existence, or do you dispute this?
I would wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of Lincoln cathedral…I’m from Grimsby & was one of the team that built the scaffolding for the recent restoration works. I’d visited on a couple of occasions in the past but having the opportunity to spend a lot more time there up close and personal with the building made me appreciate what a truly fantastic piece of architecture it is. One of the most interesting conversations I’ve had in recent years was with a 70 year old stone mason who was painstakingly restoring the ‘Gallery of Kings’ above one of the entrances with his apprentice who was in his 40’s! We really are in last chance saloon to take advantage of & pass on the knowledge of these highly skilled & experienced people in all trades before it’s lost forever. In my opinion more needs to be done to encourage youngsters to take up trade apprenticeships instead of being pushed into useless university degrees in obscure subjects that don’t actually qualify them to earn a good living in real life.
I couldn’t agree more. Millions of our young are being funnelled in totally useless non-jobs, mainly in the Public Sector, whilst the architectural masterpieces of our civilisation are being wantonly put at risk!
Astonishingly we have actually been here before, with terrible consequences.
In the Spring of 1536 we had approximately 60 Great Churches, similar if not quite as magnificent as Lincoln. Ten years later that figure had been reduced to 24, and with the subsequent loss of St Paul’s in 1666 to 23 where it has remained ever since.
I couldn’t agree more. Millions of our young are being funnelled in totally useless non-jobs, mainly in the Public Sector, whilst the architectural masterpieces of our civilisation are being wantonly put at risk!
Astonishingly we have actually been here before, with terrible consequences.
In the Spring of 1536 we had approximately 60 Great Churches, similar if not quite as magnificent as Lincoln. Ten years later that figure had been reduced to 24, and with the subsequent loss of St Paul’s in 1666 to 23 where it has remained ever since.
I would wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of Lincoln cathedral…I’m from Grimsby & was one of the team that built the scaffolding for the recent restoration works. I’d visited on a couple of occasions in the past but having the opportunity to spend a lot more time there up close and personal with the building made me appreciate what a truly fantastic piece of architecture it is. One of the most interesting conversations I’ve had in recent years was with a 70 year old stone mason who was painstakingly restoring the ‘Gallery of Kings’ above one of the entrances with his apprentice who was in his 40’s! We really are in last chance saloon to take advantage of & pass on the knowledge of these highly skilled & experienced people in all trades before it’s lost forever. In my opinion more needs to be done to encourage youngsters to take up trade apprenticeships instead of being pushed into useless university degrees in obscure subjects that don’t actually qualify them to earn a good living in real life.
It was joke! An alternative to Crows if you like.
You need to book yourself in for a Comprehension check!
I wasn’t making an argument but stating a FACT, that Lincoln Cathedral is the finest Gothic Cathedral in existence, or do you dispute this?
Do sparrows fly that far? Aren’t they mainly localised aves?
Jesting apart, your point is valid. If our medieval craftsmen could produce such wonders, what would their modern-day equivalent be doing now? A refocusing on skills and crafts has already been suggested in Comments, and i agree. It brings the prospect of not only decent wages but the satisfaction of an end product that may stand the test of time, as the example you cite has done.
Those skills are still available, as the current restoration to a very high standard of the magnificent Rochdale town hall testifies: A Look Inside: Behind-the-scenes of Rochdale Town Hall’s multi-million pound restoration | ITV News Granada
CHARLES STANHOPE
1 year ago
Yet only 45 miles to the south west “as the sparrow flies”, is the finest Gothic Fane in England, if not the World, Lincoln Cathedral!
Take away the specifics of fishing, and the outcome is identical in many if not most towns throughout the country. As the aritcle correctly points out – the export of labour – fish processing in this case, but manufacturing in most others – set the ball rolling on the destruction of these towns, and then to compound matters, and almost as though washing its hands of the people now deemed surplus to requirements, the government then started importing whole cities worth of migrants.
With traditional work and manufacturing a thing of the past, the interests of big buisness and the obsessive short term focus on GDP growth then took absolute priority. An undending queue of workers willing to work for next to nothing combined with (and had a large part in enabling) an educational system that became interested only in maximising university admissions at the overt cost of providing an alternative for the academically disinclined in the form of well funded, well resourced and well promoted further education, apprenticeships and other vocational training. The result: huge swathes of the citizenry essentially locked out of decently paid employment & career prospects by a combination of bargining power obliteration and a tragic paucity of skills and training.
Though largely invisible to the better off – notably the elites and their ‘enlightened’ cheerleaders – the damage of mass immigration is blindingly obvious to anybody living in many sections of our cities or in the many dying towns up and down the country. We have millions of people who could have been skilled workers or tradesmen, but rather than making any effort to train them (or to even advise them of such careers) we took the easy import option, and then to add insult to injury we left them no other choice but to subsist in terribly payed jobs; their wages kept to the absolute minimum because their bosses knew they could be replaced at the drop of a hat by a glut of imported workers willing to work for half their pay. Rinse and repeat for years on end, and on top of the fragmented and completely transformed communities we have hundreds of towns like Grimsby – devoid of hope and aspiration; the residents’ bleak existence compelling destructive behaviours, crime, ill health, and spirals of generational decline. And until our overlords see what caused the problem, or perhaps just simply even start caring, things will only get worse.
The keys to successful democracies are power balances. A political right balanced by a political left, an independent judiciary to reign executive overreach, independent media able to shine a light in dark areas.
When the political left abandoned the indigenous working class, its core constituency in most western countries, a very important power balance was lost.
The “maximisation of university admissions” without any prioritisation of useful courses has now bled so far into the media and judiciary the independence of those organs is also threatened.
Populism is probably the only truly countervailing power to complete control by the oligarchs. Unfortunately, populism also has a history of leading to dark places and definitely does not favour power structures that may restrain it.
We have let something incredibly valuable slip away.
”Unfortunately, populism also has a history of leading to dark places”
This is the myth we are taught to be able to attack anyone not a blind follower of lefty/Liberalism and socialism. Unless you call Mayo a ‘Populaist’ leader (killed up to 100,000,000 of his won people) and the other monsters in history who were not usually populists.
”Unfortunately, populism also has a history of leading to dark places”
This is the myth we are taught to be able to attack anyone not a blind follower of lefty/Liberalism and socialism. Unless you call Mayo a ‘Populaist’ leader (killed up to 100,000,000 of his won people) and the other monsters in history who were not usually populists.
This was a very interesting article, just as a good read. As you say, it is not different from other towns where industry declined in a similar way. My own home town employed thousands on the railways and in car production. All gone.
I also learnt that people from Grimsby are called Grimbarians.
Manufacturing has gone and will only return when it will be cheaper to make something in England than in China. The UK taught the world how to make things and is now suffering for it.
I have one point of criticism of your post. You say, “And until our overlords see what caused the problem, or perhaps just simply even start caring, things will only get worse.” Why should this happen – it is so unlikely as to be impossible.
This wishful thinking, this hope that a messiah will come and make us mighty again, is negative and dangerous. For example, the messiah might say, “Everyone must stay in their homes so that we can save money by not heating buildings in the city centre”. Would UnHerders just agree because the messiah was a great person?
The sheer negativity of wishful thinking is one of the things stopping us from doing things.
Sort of take your point Chris, but what else left is there but the hope that the people in charge of the country might see the damage – the cynical shorterism- and decide to change tack. I’m not quite yet at the point where I see only a messiah type figure as bringing this about, not least because I think more and more of the public are beginning to see what we can.
And as much I’m skeptical of Labour rule, I do think Starmer’s recently expressed position on immigration was extremely welcome news – as he identified correctly many of things I point out above – and even had many lefties nodding along.
So, maybe, just maybe, theres time to turn things around, or at the least limit the damage. All I can do is try to point out the myriad pitfalls of mass immigration to people whenever given the opportunity. And happily think the xenephobe / racist / bigot slur has been that overused its lost its magic power to end the discussion.
And I sort of agree with you. UnHerd is very anti-Labour. But the Tories have done all the bad things in the last three or four years. The Tories have followed the USA into mad wokeness. The Tories are running around like blue-a*sed flies, falling over each other, making gaffes and generally looking like amateurs. Maybe it is time to give Labour another chance – but I do worry about the hovering presence of Gordon Brown (and even Blair).
But Labour is also infected by “mad wokeness”, and I think to a greater degree than the Tories. Don’t get me wrong, I would love there to be a Labour party that I could vote for, but I don’t think that it’s there yet.
So, what is the answer? Back to wishing for a messiah to arrive and save us all.
Labour does have one advantage – its members actually do things. They are activists. They don’t just sit in front of a computer and type.
I agree with you. Labour could be worse than the Tories.
There are only two solutions and neither have much hope:
1) Change the system completely. This means that people who write, UnHerders, magazine authors start to criticise the system rather than picking on a political party. Any who starts a sentence with … “The Lefties…” is just a waste of space. When people start talking about changing the system you have a chance.
2) Rejoin the EU and just absorb all the c**p.
So, what is the answer? Back to wishing for a messiah to arrive and save us all.
Labour does have one advantage – its members actually do things. They are activists. They don’t just sit in front of a computer and type.
I agree with you. Labour could be worse than the Tories.
There are only two solutions and neither have much hope:
1) Change the system completely. This means that people who write, UnHerders, magazine authors start to criticise the system rather than picking on a political party. Any who starts a sentence with … “The Lefties…” is just a waste of space. When people start talking about changing the system you have a chance.
2) Rejoin the EU and just absorb all the c**p.
But Labour is also infected by “mad wokeness”, and I think to a greater degree than the Tories. Don’t get me wrong, I would love there to be a Labour party that I could vote for, but I don’t think that it’s there yet.
And I sort of agree with you. UnHerd is very anti-Labour. But the Tories have done all the bad things in the last three or four years. The Tories have followed the USA into mad wokeness. The Tories are running around like blue-a*sed flies, falling over each other, making gaffes and generally looking like amateurs. Maybe it is time to give Labour another chance – but I do worry about the hovering presence of Gordon Brown (and even Blair).
Funny you should bring up the ‘Messiah’ hope. I live some 7,000 miles west of Grimsby, but about 10 years ago I published a book called ‘The JOB Messiahs’, listing all the nutty schemes promoted by overpaid public ‘experts’ to revive our local economy — and nothing worked out. But then, why should it? Just as in Grimsby, our local industries got started without any government aid — so why should government initiatives work this time?
Sort of take your point Chris, but what else left is there but the hope that the people in charge of the country might see the damage – the cynical shorterism- and decide to change tack. I’m not quite yet at the point where I see only a messiah type figure as bringing this about, not least because I think more and more of the public are beginning to see what we can.
And as much I’m skeptical of Labour rule, I do think Starmer’s recently expressed position on immigration was extremely welcome news – as he identified correctly many of things I point out above – and even had many lefties nodding along.
So, maybe, just maybe, theres time to turn things around, or at the least limit the damage. All I can do is try to point out the myriad pitfalls of mass immigration to people whenever given the opportunity. And happily think the xenephobe / racist / bigot slur has been that overused its lost its magic power to end the discussion.
Funny you should bring up the ‘Messiah’ hope. I live some 7,000 miles west of Grimsby, but about 10 years ago I published a book called ‘The JOB Messiahs’, listing all the nutty schemes promoted by overpaid public ‘experts’ to revive our local economy — and nothing worked out. But then, why should it? Just as in Grimsby, our local industries got started without any government aid — so why should government initiatives work this time?
Ten, maybe even five years ago, I would have argued against the sentiments in this post. Now, I would whole heartedly endorse them. The hollowing out of vast swathes of this countries productive capacity has been horrific to behold. All political parties are guilty. We know the problem, we as a country now need to find the solution, and fast. The last 25 years of globalised technocratic government has no answers.
Yes, I agree it is a similar picture across England. It is difficult to see how manufacturing has a future. The cost of electricity is very high for production and then the cost of fuel is very high for distribution.
There does not seem to be any political will to tackle this.
The keys to successful democracies are power balances. A political right balanced by a political left, an independent judiciary to reign executive overreach, independent media able to shine a light in dark areas.
When the political left abandoned the indigenous working class, its core constituency in most western countries, a very important power balance was lost.
The “maximisation of university admissions” without any prioritisation of useful courses has now bled so far into the media and judiciary the independence of those organs is also threatened.
Populism is probably the only truly countervailing power to complete control by the oligarchs. Unfortunately, populism also has a history of leading to dark places and definitely does not favour power structures that may restrain it.
We have let something incredibly valuable slip away.
This was a very interesting article, just as a good read. As you say, it is not different from other towns where industry declined in a similar way. My own home town employed thousands on the railways and in car production. All gone.
I also learnt that people from Grimsby are called Grimbarians.
Manufacturing has gone and will only return when it will be cheaper to make something in England than in China. The UK taught the world how to make things and is now suffering for it.
I have one point of criticism of your post. You say, “And until our overlords see what caused the problem, or perhaps just simply even start caring, things will only get worse.” Why should this happen – it is so unlikely as to be impossible.
This wishful thinking, this hope that a messiah will come and make us mighty again, is negative and dangerous. For example, the messiah might say, “Everyone must stay in their homes so that we can save money by not heating buildings in the city centre”. Would UnHerders just agree because the messiah was a great person?
The sheer negativity of wishful thinking is one of the things stopping us from doing things.
Ten, maybe even five years ago, I would have argued against the sentiments in this post. Now, I would whole heartedly endorse them. The hollowing out of vast swathes of this countries productive capacity has been horrific to behold. All political parties are guilty. We know the problem, we as a country now need to find the solution, and fast. The last 25 years of globalised technocratic government has no answers.
Yes, I agree it is a similar picture across England. It is difficult to see how manufacturing has a future. The cost of electricity is very high for production and then the cost of fuel is very high for distribution.
There does not seem to be any political will to tackle this.
Take away the specifics of fishing, and the outcome is identical in many if not most towns throughout the country. As the aritcle correctly points out – the export of labour – fish processing in this case, but manufacturing in most others – set the ball rolling on the destruction of these towns, and then to compound matters, and almost as though washing its hands of the people now deemed surplus to requirements, the government then started importing whole cities worth of migrants.
With traditional work and manufacturing a thing of the past, the interests of big buisness and the obsessive short term focus on GDP growth then took absolute priority. An undending queue of workers willing to work for next to nothing combined with (and had a large part in enabling) an educational system that became interested only in maximising university admissions at the overt cost of providing an alternative for the academically disinclined in the form of well funded, well resourced and well promoted further education, apprenticeships and other vocational training. The result: huge swathes of the citizenry essentially locked out of decently paid employment & career prospects by a combination of bargining power obliteration and a tragic paucity of skills and training.
Though largely invisible to the better off – notably the elites and their ‘enlightened’ cheerleaders – the damage of mass immigration is blindingly obvious to anybody living in many sections of our cities or in the many dying towns up and down the country. We have millions of people who could have been skilled workers or tradesmen, but rather than making any effort to train them (or to even advise them of such careers) we took the easy import option, and then to add insult to injury we left them no other choice but to subsist in terribly payed jobs; their wages kept to the absolute minimum because their bosses knew they could be replaced at the drop of a hat by a glut of imported workers willing to work for half their pay. Rinse and repeat for years on end, and on top of the fragmented and completely transformed communities we have hundreds of towns like Grimsby – devoid of hope and aspiration; the residents’ bleak existence compelling destructive behaviours, crime, ill health, and spirals of generational decline. And until our overlords see what caused the problem, or perhaps just simply even start caring, things will only get worse.
“Eventually, and grudgingly, Brussels offered substantial subsidies for British fishing”
Brussels never gave Britain any subsidy whatsoever. Britain was always a net contributor to the EEC/EU. Any money given by the EU to Grimsby was taken from British taxpayers.
After watching how the British Gov gave their fish rights to EU I was surprised they did not license EU sheep farmers to land on Scottish shores and round up the sheep and take them back to Holland as their right to British Resources.
Having been part of the commercial fishing and processing it struck very close to my heart of see Britain prostitute out its native waters to European powers for pennies….
Giving away our birthrights – be it our waters, our homeland through mass immigration, our oil and gas reserves, our sovereignty to the EU – is a speciality of the British ruling class.
Giving away our birthrights – be it our waters, our homeland through mass immigration, our oil and gas reserves, our sovereignty to the EU – is a speciality of the British ruling class.
After watching how the British Gov gave their fish rights to EU I was surprised they did not license EU sheep farmers to land on Scottish shores and round up the sheep and take them back to Holland as their right to British Resources.
Having been part of the commercial fishing and processing it struck very close to my heart of see Britain prostitute out its native waters to European powers for pennies….
“Eventually, and grudgingly, Brussels offered substantial subsidies for British fishing”
Brussels never gave Britain any subsidy whatsoever. Britain was always a net contributor to the EEC/EU. Any money given by the EU to Grimsby was taken from British taxpayers.
The anachronistic Barnett Formula, (1978)which heavily subsides
those notorious ‘benefit junkies’, the Northern Irish, the Scotch and the Welsh, should be scrapped immediately and the funds saved diverted to Grimsby and many other worthy English towns.
It is a national disgrace that the aforementioned ‘parasites’ have been indulged for so long, and that they have absolutely NO sense of shame when squealing for yet more subsidy
Enough is enough.
There’s a Welshman’s uptick for you. Most Welsh politicians need a kick up the *aris piece*. Some deserve a noose around their necks. *That’s a proper seaman’s term. Admiralty Manual of Seamanship Volume 1 refers.
Thank you!
Thank you!
There’s a Welshman’s uptick for you. Most Welsh politicians need a kick up the *aris piece*. Some deserve a noose around their necks. *That’s a proper seaman’s term. Admiralty Manual of Seamanship Volume 1 refers.
The anachronistic Barnett Formula, (1978)which heavily subsides
those notorious ‘benefit junkies’, the Northern Irish, the Scotch and the Welsh, should be scrapped immediately and the funds saved diverted to Grimsby and many other worthy English towns.
It is a national disgrace that the aforementioned ‘parasites’ have been indulged for so long, and that they have absolutely NO sense of shame when squealing for yet more subsidy
Enough is enough.
Grimsby, Hull and Scunsthorpe. All sacrificed on the altar of London declinism and worship of the continental bureaucrat. What a disaster.
Grimsby, Hull and Scunsthorpe. All sacrificed on the altar of London declinism and worship of the continental bureaucrat. What a disaster.
I worked at the Youngs coated fish factory back in the late 90’s. Grimsby was very much food town with lots of plants producing frozen and fresh food for the UK and beyond. Though fish was the main area there were other food being processed such as pizzas. I always found that Grimsby and neighbouring Cleethorpes had a strong identity and sense of community. I enjoyed living there though the work at the factory was a challenge. undoubtedly there were problems particularly drugs which flowed in from nearby Immingham and the transition from a fishing led economy to one led by food processing had left a lot of people behind. I have many fond memories of my time there and though people could at first be a bit frosty once they got to know you they were extremely welcoming.
I worked at the Youngs coated fish factory back in the late 90’s. Grimsby was very much food town with lots of plants producing frozen and fresh food for the UK and beyond. Though fish was the main area there were other food being processed such as pizzas. I always found that Grimsby and neighbouring Cleethorpes had a strong identity and sense of community. I enjoyed living there though the work at the factory was a challenge. undoubtedly there were problems particularly drugs which flowed in from nearby Immingham and the transition from a fishing led economy to one led by food processing had left a lot of people behind. I have many fond memories of my time there and though people could at first be a bit frosty once they got to know you they were extremely welcoming.
Yet only 45 miles to the south west “as the sparrow flies”, is the finest Gothic Fane in England, if not the World, Lincoln Cathedral!
Do sparrows fly that far? Aren’t they mainly localised aves?
Jesting apart, your point is valid. If our medieval craftsmen could produce such wonders, what would their modern-day equivalent be doing now? A refocusing on skills and crafts has already been suggested in Comments, and i agree. It brings the prospect of not only decent wages but the satisfaction of an end product that may stand the test of time, as the example you cite has done.
Those skills are still available, as the current restoration to a very high standard of the magnificent Rochdale town hall testifies:
A Look Inside: Behind-the-scenes of Rochdale Town Hall’s multi-million pound restoration | ITV News Granada
Apparently only 9 of our Cathedrals have a “ dedicated Stonemasonry Workshop and Stonemasonry team”!
How many from our 15.5 surviving Medieval Cathedrals that includes, I have no idea.
”Do sparrows fly that far? Aren’t they mainly localised aves?”
masterful debunking of his argument.. loved it
It was joke! An alternative to Crows if you like.
You need to book yourself in for a Comprehension check!
I wasn’t making an argument but stating a FACT, that Lincoln Cathedral is the finest Gothic Cathedral in existence, or do you dispute this?
I would wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of Lincoln cathedral…I’m from Grimsby & was one of the team that built the scaffolding for the recent restoration works. I’d visited on a couple of occasions in the past but having the opportunity to spend a lot more time there up close and personal with the building made me appreciate what a truly fantastic piece of architecture it is. One of the most interesting conversations I’ve had in recent years was with a 70 year old stone mason who was painstakingly restoring the ‘Gallery of Kings’ above one of the entrances with his apprentice who was in his 40’s! We really are in last chance saloon to take advantage of & pass on the knowledge of these highly skilled & experienced people in all trades before it’s lost forever. In my opinion more needs to be done to encourage youngsters to take up trade apprenticeships instead of being pushed into useless university degrees in obscure subjects that don’t actually qualify them to earn a good living in real life.
I couldn’t agree more. Millions of our young are being funnelled in totally useless non-jobs, mainly in the Public Sector, whilst the architectural masterpieces of our civilisation are being wantonly put at risk!
Astonishingly we have actually been here before, with terrible consequences.
In the Spring of 1536 we had approximately 60 Great Churches, similar if not quite as magnificent as Lincoln. Ten years later that figure had been reduced to 24, and with the subsequent loss of St Paul’s in 1666 to 23 where it has remained ever since.
I couldn’t agree more. Millions of our young are being funnelled in totally useless non-jobs, mainly in the Public Sector, whilst the architectural masterpieces of our civilisation are being wantonly put at risk!
Astonishingly we have actually been here before, with terrible consequences.
In the Spring of 1536 we had approximately 60 Great Churches, similar if not quite as magnificent as Lincoln. Ten years later that figure had been reduced to 24, and with the subsequent loss of St Paul’s in 1666 to 23 where it has remained ever since.
I would wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of Lincoln cathedral…I’m from Grimsby & was one of the team that built the scaffolding for the recent restoration works. I’d visited on a couple of occasions in the past but having the opportunity to spend a lot more time there up close and personal with the building made me appreciate what a truly fantastic piece of architecture it is. One of the most interesting conversations I’ve had in recent years was with a 70 year old stone mason who was painstakingly restoring the ‘Gallery of Kings’ above one of the entrances with his apprentice who was in his 40’s! We really are in last chance saloon to take advantage of & pass on the knowledge of these highly skilled & experienced people in all trades before it’s lost forever. In my opinion more needs to be done to encourage youngsters to take up trade apprenticeships instead of being pushed into useless university degrees in obscure subjects that don’t actually qualify them to earn a good living in real life.
It was joke! An alternative to Crows if you like.
You need to book yourself in for a Comprehension check!
I wasn’t making an argument but stating a FACT, that Lincoln Cathedral is the finest Gothic Cathedral in existence, or do you dispute this?
Apparently only 9 of our Cathedrals have a “ dedicated Stonemasonry Workshop and Stonemasonry team”!
How many from our 15.5 surviving Medieval Cathedrals that includes, I have no idea.
”Do sparrows fly that far? Aren’t they mainly localised aves?”
masterful debunking of his argument.. loved it
Do sparrows fly that far? Aren’t they mainly localised aves?
Jesting apart, your point is valid. If our medieval craftsmen could produce such wonders, what would their modern-day equivalent be doing now? A refocusing on skills and crafts has already been suggested in Comments, and i agree. It brings the prospect of not only decent wages but the satisfaction of an end product that may stand the test of time, as the example you cite has done.
Those skills are still available, as the current restoration to a very high standard of the magnificent Rochdale town hall testifies:
A Look Inside: Behind-the-scenes of Rochdale Town Hall’s multi-million pound restoration | ITV News Granada
Yet only 45 miles to the south west “as the sparrow flies”, is the finest Gothic Fane in England, if not the World, Lincoln Cathedral!