I actually think he’s right & it’s disgusting he’s been branded as racist by many. As someone who’s been to London a few times in recent years it doesn’t feel like an English city because it has that many foreigners & tourists there in the same way that Benidorm doesn’t feel like a Spanish city because there’s that many foreigners & tourists there.
More than 50% of London's population was born outside of England. I'd say that makes it not very English. If you went to Tokyo and 50% of the population was born in Scandinavia would it still be Japanese?
Is London quintessentially english? I don't think it ever has been in my memory. That's not a good thing or a bad thing. London is London, it has its own vibe.
It's definitely quintessentially English. I know it has its detractors, but it's a superb city rich in English culture and tourists flock to it for that very reason. Comfortably one of the best cities in the world. 50% of the population were born outside of the UK (or whatever the stat is). But the 50% that weren't is still a really chunky number
I wasn't supporting or detracting from Cleese's comment or criticising London. I like it, in short doses. It's a massive centrepiece of our history and I guess a lot of people do see it as typically English. For me it's not, it's a cosmopolitan, international city and none the worse for it.
One of the funniest men alive whatever his opinions on London . Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, Life of Brian and The Holy Grail....all genius comedy
Don't have a problem with those comments. Don't necessarily agree but I don't find it offensive, I don't think it's meant to be offensive, it's just an opinion. An opinion from quite an old guy who has fond memories of a place from his youth. There's some pretty vile opinions out there from some horrible people, really don't think this is one of them. I think there's plenty of scope to disagree, but not to get upset by it.
He’s right in that there’s a good percentage of people who aren’t English. Having lived there and then often working there several days a week after leaving, I’m not sure that it has changed massively in the last 20 years. It’s always been a cosmopolitan city while I’ve been going there and its people are more tolerant as a result. Plenty of Englishness remains though. A lot of those who aren’t English probably didnt have the right to vote in the referendum though.
He's not right, he's just old. Opining for the "good old days"? This is what old people have been saying forever.
Come on Conan. You sound like the Daily Mail. And by that I mean quoting a ‘fact’ that is actually total ******. You should know better. On the wider point, one of the joys of being in London is the cosmopolitan nature of the City. A joy compared to some of the Little Englander places that infest this Country.
I think it's only really the nationalities that have changed, when I first visited London nearly every barman was an Aussie
I don't believe I'm going to say this but i agree with Conan, As he and John Cleese state English not British, European ect.
A lot of those criticising him would be the first to celebrate what a diverse, multicultural city London has become. By those definitions it has lost some of its Englishness. Bit of an odd thing to get upset about.
I agree with him.. I feel people like Victoria, full of hate, and worst of all self hate, should really have a good look at themselves..
Worked there 2 weeks ago. At the side of our site, on quite a busy pavement, outside a national magazines offices, a lady was jacking up on heroin at 1 in the afternoon. Last weekend, I went to town and saw 3 spice heads slumped round the market stalls. London is just that bit more extreme but the same **** happens everywhere.