Football pundit and former Manchester United star Gary Neville posted a video that he pitched as a call to national unity. But was greeted by a wave of online vitriol for one line in which he blamed “angry middle-aged white men” for creating political division.
Many middle-aged white men took to social media – to deny they are angry, to describe their anger as justified, or to call Neville’s comments the out-of-touch ramblings of a “champagne socialist”.
But the footballer has his supporters too, with some saying he put his finger on a specific group that has been pulling at the fault lines of British politics by hoisting flags and protesting against immigration.
What do polling and history tell us about the political divides within our society – and when it comes to our political divisions, who’s really to blame?
Presenter: Adam Fleming
Production team: Emma Close, Natasha Fernandes, Mike Wendling
Studio manager: Andy Mills
Production coordinator: Janet Staples
Editor: Richard Vadon
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A potted history of patriotism
Patriotism is a concept that’s been used throughout history. From rallying the troops in wartime to acting as the “glue” that brought revolutionaries together in 18th Century France; the idea of loving one’s civilisation and supporting its values, dates all the way back to Ancient Greece.
Georgios Varouxakis, professor of the history of political thought at Queen Mary University of London, runs Adam Fleming through a potted history of patriotism and how it’s evolved over time.
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What is patriotism?
It seems like everyone wants to be a patriot this week, from Prime Minister Keir Starmer to people hoisting flags up British lampposts. But what does patriotism really mean?At the Labour Party conference there was lots of talk of 'progressive patriotism' - a definition of the term that emphasises Britain's tolerance and multiculturalism. Others invoke patriotism when seeking a return to the past. Others reject the word entirely because of its links to nationalism.We find out why Keir Starmer and the Labour Party are trying to formulate 'progressive patriotism', examine the history of the concept going back to the ancient Greeks, and ask what polling tells us about how patriotic British people feel.Presenter: Adam Fleming
Production team: Lucy Proctor, Natasha Fernandes, Mike Wendling, Tom Gillet
Studio manager: Andy Mills
Production coordinator: Janet Staples
Editor: Bridget Harney
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Where does the UK house asylum seekers?
When people come to the UK seeking asylum they’re supposed to be placed in homes all over the country while their claims are processed – not hotels. Jonathan Darling, professor of human geography at Durham University, tells Adam Fleming where this policy of dispersal came from, how it’s evolved, and why it’s broken down.
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Asylum hotels
Anger has flared outside hotels used to house asylum seekers. Protestors say they are worried about illegal migration, cost to the taxpayer and a lack of consultation, but one issue seems to spark even more concern - the safety of women and children. Opponents have accused protestors of racism and whipping up hate.Is there any evidence that asylum seekers are more likely to commit sexual offences? We trace the clamour for more data to answer that question. Police have been given new guidance on disclosing the ethnicity and nationality of suspects in criminal cases - especially high profile ones. What might be the effect? And why are so many asylum seekers currently housed in hotels anyway? We hear how the system is supposed to work and how it’s evolved.Presenter: Adam Fleming
Producers: Simon Tulett, Natasha Fernandes, Emma Close and Tom Gillett
Editor: Penny Murphy
Production coordinator: Janet Staples
Studio engineer: Annie Gardiner
Peace talks for the culture wars.
In an era of polarisation, propaganda and pile-ons, AntiSocial offers an alternative: understanding, facts, and respect. Each week, Adam Fleming takes on a topic that's generating conflict on social media, blogs, talk shows and phone-ins and helps you work out what the arguments are really about.
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