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THREAD - Yorkshire Man on the Train
On the train from Halifax to Leeds I met a man (pro-Brexit, low seventies, from Ripon in North Yorkshire). He didn't want his picture taken so I'll try not to reveal more than that, but he deserved a THREAD.
On the train from Halifax to Leeds I met a man (pro-Brexit, low seventies, from Ripon in North Yorkshire). He didn't want his picture taken so I'll try not to reveal more than that, but he deserved a THREAD.
He spotted my t-shirt, and asked me about it. He voted out and opposes a second referendum, but also thinks we weren't given enough information and that the referendum should never have been called. But that wasn't the crux of the conversation.
I asked him what change he felt the country needed and he spoke for 30 minutes straight and not once did he mention the EU.
"Get rid of the House of Lords...It's a retirement home for old codgers"
"The politicians live by different rules to the rest of us"
"Get rid of the House of Lords...It's a retirement home for old codgers"
"The politicians live by different rules to the rest of us"
"They ban smoking and then go smoke in their private pub. [Don't know if this has any truth to it]"
"I only get £x for my disability, they say because I can [at least] walk"
"Westminster doesn't care about us up here."
"I only get £x for my disability, they say because I can [at least] walk"
"Westminster doesn't care about us up here."
"You know, the Jarrow March (1936)? 200 men, 1 woman and a dog marched down from Jarrow, past Newcastle, to London. Anyone who gave them food or shelter was jailed" [Me: What were they marching for?] "For work! They've never cared about us up here. And here we are now."
"I'm not against immigration. [Story of foreign-origin friends which I can't remember the details of]. But we have so many homeless people why can't we look after our own" [Me: *stats about EU doctors and tax revenue*. We just need governments to care enough to do something]
"I agree. Homelessness has just gotten worse and worse...."
"Boris Johnson, he's a millionaire. {Bit about him which I think is fake news or subjective at best, so I won't say] He doesn't know what ordinary people are like. He should come up here!"
"Boris Johnson, he's a millionaire. {Bit about him which I think is fake news or subjective at best, so I won't say] He doesn't know what ordinary people are like. He should come up here!"
That's all I can remember for now (I'll probably remember more soon and have to tag it on).
When I finally brought Brexit back up, he agreed that Brexit (as a government distraction) would make any real positive change less likely & probably make us poorer and have less control.
When I finally brought Brexit back up, he agreed that Brexit (as a government distraction) would make any real positive change less likely & probably make us poorer and have less control.
After he strongly opposition to the idea of a 2nd referendum (without me even mentioning it), I didn't bring it up for a minute or so but then I mentioned that the Northern Irish got to see the Good Friday Agreement (deal) before they voted. He recognised that as more democratic.
