I was reminded of all the perplexing difficulties of cultural integration this morning. The Today programme was doing some vox pops with the descendants of Yemenis who came to the South Shields area more than 100 years ago. One, interviewed in the pub he managed, told us in a broad Geordie accent that he wasn't a Muslim he was C of E and that he had voted Leave because too many foreigners were coming over here and getting all the jobs and houses.
On the face of it this doesn't seem like a great way to sell cultural integration to nervous minorities. Transpose it to Whitechapel in the 1880s.
"Don't you worry Mrs Goldberg, I know you've had a dreadful time with those Cossacks but you're quite safe now. I'm sure you'll fit in and before you know it your beautiful daughters will be getting married in the church down the road to nice English boys and enjoying a lovely bacon sandwich every morning. Nothing to worry about at all."
As Joni Mitchell said:
"Well something's lost, but something's gained
In living every day."
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