Comments on: I slept in the spare room last night

By: Ellee

Ellee — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 06:47:05 +0000

Tina, you are always an angel when I need you in these circumstances. It was probably the same spider that you chucked out of my dining room a week ago. They know a good home when they see it;-)

By: tina

tina — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 21:19:49 +0000

how horrible!! You know you can call me anytime and I will dash round, pick it up with my bare hands and deposit it outside – or take it back to my house from whence it probably came! My mother always used to say ‘if you want to live and thrive, let a spider run alive’ Don’t forget it!

By: Courtney Hamilton

Courtney Hamilton — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 22:50:42 +0000

Georgegirl,

Ok, let’s just call this a truce for now because we’re straying way off topic for this post – let us both unite and have some sympathy for poor Ellee who has a spider the size of a plate (yeah right) under her bed…

By: Georgegirl

Georgegirl — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 20:23:15 +0000

Courtney,
We are at somewhat odds here , I dont attempt to romantisise what life was like for the ” respectable working class ” it was hard and at times dreadful, however, many of those people raised themselves above their situation and maintained their pride and respectability.The people now at the bottom of society ie the underclass have little in common with the true Working class of the early 2oth century.
My background was of parents with a Trades Union background .
Not to overthrow but simply to give credence to their needs.
It isnt about ” class solidarity ” how contrived is that sentiment .
Its about values and aspirations, both of which my family had by the bucket full and indeed fulfilled .
When I was a member of the Tory Party ( please dont tell anyone ) it was because of a grocers daughter from of all places Grantham ( what a dump that is !!) who wanted to make my class aspirations a reality .
Not to be beholden to the state.
I used to hate all the party party Tories who thought that it was about garden parties and social occasions where they could bray and brag .
No wonder they really despised Margaret who was far and above all that nonsense .
We now have yet another hurray Henry.
Well at least George Osborn has started to say the right things today at conference , but I fear too damed late to work.
Lord help us all if Brown does call a snap election .
Hes a real monster but we wont know how much till the people give him a mandate.

By: Courtney Hamilton

Courtney Hamilton — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 19:48:28 +0000

Georgegirl,

I agree with your sentiments in regards to David Cameron – your right, he is a bit of a loser.

However, I refuse to romanticise about working class communities, who on the whole live rather banal lives, and are constantly struggling to keep their financial heads above water. Nor will I bang on about the nostalgic good old days of class solidarity – as you quite rightfully say, those days are over.

Having said that, I do agree that the overwhelming majority of working class people in this country are hard working, and that is indeed a very ‘admirable’ trait. And this is the main reason I will always take a forceful stand against those who wish to bash the proles – who are at the bottom of our society whether people agree with that or not.

Anon,

I very carefully tried to say above – ‘don’t get get me wrong here’ – however, it appears that you have done just that…

And just for your information Anon, I’m not a Tory, on the contrary, where I come from, that would be considered a ‘vile insult’ of the highest order.

Indeed, have you ever heard of Cold Blow Lane? My guess is, judging by the tone of your comment, probably not…

By: Anon

Anon — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 11:21:54 +0000

I am in total agreement with Georgegirl- how dare anyone catergorize working class as “bottom of the pile”. Its a vile insult, and if this is the attitude of todays Tories, then Britain has every right to resoundingly reject them yet again at the polls. For all the PR spin of the new caring sharing conservatives, these kind of casual slurs show that it is precisely that- just spin.

By: Georgegirl

Georgegirl — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 10:52:25 +0000

Hi Courtney,
Your mailing made me smile ( and Im a bit less angry than when I put thoughts of Cameron down a few days ago, though I still think hes a useless looser and will not ever be PM ! )
You have assumed that ” Im at the bottom of the pile ”
Firstly I dont class the working class background I came from as anything like the feckless workshy bunch so often nowadays classed as ” working class”
The real old working class have moved on .
All my family worked hard , were utterly respectable and looked after themselves and their children ( charity was a dirty word in our house , as was the thought of the workhouse to my Grandparents.)
And therefore Im very proud to be from such a social group , they were admirable people.
In two generations I have come from having a Grandmother widowed at 34 with 8 children to raise in a two up two down terrace home with 5 shillings a week from his Rowntrees pension ( plus her earnings going out cleaning and looking after the Ladies cloakroom in the local theatre every night)to my children all having gone to private schools , we own and run a successful business and a number of properties .
Thats why Im so damned angry at the Tory party we now have .
It no longer supports people like us , self sufficient , with children to be proud of .
Instead Dave tells us to ” hug a hoodie ”
And modernise !
He cant even bring himself to actually come out with the word marriage , instead its all about ” partnerships or just people whom stay together ”
Its not for me Im afraid .

By: Courtney Hamilton

Courtney Hamilton — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 23:09:21 +0000

Georgegirl,

I’m sorry to have to say this, but I really hate when people say they are ‘proud’ to be working class – but don’t get me wrong here, my background is as working class as the next man or woman.

If anything, ‘our class’ should aspire to be something much, much better than just being stereotypical proletarian. We should in fact be aspiring to become the new ruling elite, precisely because of our class background.

My father worked for over thirty years at the Ford’s car plant in Dagenham east London, just so me, my brothers and sister could go to school and be educated, and live a far better life than the Windrush generation that came before us.

Being a fully paid-up member of the English working class is nothing to be proud of – indeed, you tell me Georgegirl, how can you be so proud of being at the bottom end of our society?

Again, don’t get me wrong here Georgegirl, at the end of the day, when all is said and done, I think me, you and Ellee (and most of the people who make comments here) actually have far, far more in common with each other than we have differences.

By: Ellee

Ellee — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 22:42:57 +0000

Georgegirl, I know Julian personally, there is a huge difference between \”PR clap trap\” and working with a very genuine and honest person who cares deeply for his community. I have never worked for anyone, or on behalf of anyone, who did not have integrity and honesty, who I did not believe in totally.
And to all you unsympathetic guys, I say that spider could have been a black widow. What is going to happen if it reappears tonight when my husband is away on business? I shall simply have to chance it – again.

By: Georgegirl

Georgegirl — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 21:06:51 +0000

Ellee,
Oh please , save us the PR clap trap about young Mr Sturdy .
Hes about in touch as I am to whats going on in Iran . .
Hes yet another of ” call me Daves ” would be wont be Tory saviours .
Look back at Margeret Thatchers term in office to see why”call me Dave ” we are ruined .
The polls are right, the populace will inspite of everythig vote Labour , they dont care about the ordinary working man .
They are too intent on all those who are now reliant upon the state to hold their hand.
David Cameron is useless , nothing more than a stupid vapid Tory Toff.
Why didnt you lot vote David Davies .
Well Ill tell you why not , cos you dont want to win .
Lord save us from such a gang.