What the hell is happening to Britain?
I have been travelling to London since the eighties but I have never come across the volume and depth of despair as presently.
I have been travelling to London since the eighties but I have never come across the volume and depth of despair as presently.
It has taken me until now to process something I saw on The Tube yesterday.
A man begging, reduced to involuntarily howling in exhausted anguish. Met with everything from indifference to anger.
A man begging, reduced to involuntarily howling in exhausted anguish. Met with everything from indifference to anger.
From halfway down the carriage I could see straight away he’d been sleeping rough. But for days or weeks, not months. Only recently slipped between the cracks. He was steeling himself to say something, but the bowed heads and turned shoulders were putting him off.
He apologised and hesitantly introduced himself. But before he got any further he crumpled. His words got swallowed by a sob and he slumped against the door.
Heads got buried deeper in to iPhones. He looked as beat as I’ve ever seen anyone.
Heads got buried deeper in to iPhones. He looked as beat as I’ve ever seen anyone.
An elderly woman engaged with him and I moved alongside. She put a hand on his back and it all came spilling out. You’ve heard his story before ... a qualified chef .. but hey, life.
Because he wasn’t under 18, on drugs or being abused no agency would help him.
Because he wasn’t under 18, on drugs or being abused no agency would help him.
And because he wasn’t British born, media had given him the impression that he should stay away from anything to do with the Home Office.
Lack of an address was frustrating his job hunting and so on and so on. All very familiar.
Lack of an address was frustrating his job hunting and so on and so on. All very familiar.
But what really struck me was The prevailing political wind added a chill factor to his dilemma. “England is for the English now, innit?”
I’ve seen people broken and exhausted by uncaring systems before. But I’ve never seen someone also so scared of the cultural climate.
I’ve seen people broken and exhausted by uncaring systems before. But I’ve never seen someone also so scared of the cultural climate.
Or perhaps I mean I’ve never seen someone in Western Europe so scared of the cultural climate.
Throwing himself on the mercy of that tube carriage was a plunge in to what he feared was going to be a very hostile reception.
Throwing himself on the mercy of that tube carriage was a plunge in to what he feared was going to be a very hostile reception.
And he wasn’t wrong. Someone called out “Just go home, mate” as we stepped off the train on to the platform.
We got him sorted. Not sure I can say the same for London.
We got him sorted. Not sure I can say the same for London.
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