Cheltenham councillor's 'ban northerners' suggestion causes furore
CONTROVERSIAL suggestions that Cheltenham's housing crisis could be solved by banning northerners from moving south has started a fierce debate.
People from across the north hit out at Councillor Norman Hall's statement made at a parish council meeting last week.
The comments, in an Echo exclusive, drew criticism from people in areas as far away as Yorkshire and Teeside after they were circulated on the internet and featured in newspapers across the country.
Social networking sites were alive with comments with Kingsley Chapman, of Stockton-on-Tees, writing on Twitter: "Chuffing 'eck man pet, ganna gan and bray t'whippet int disgust."
Another member of the website, Alex Chesters, wrote: "My favourite part is he thinks we actually want to go!" After the anger from northerners, the Leckhampton resident clarified his comments yesterday, but stood by his idea that action was needed to stop the town becoming overcrowded.
Mr Hall said: "The comment was a throwaway remark and although I did say 'ban all northerners' from coming down here, I have nothing against them.
"It certainly stimulated something and my colleagues on the parish council have had reactions from people ranging from those who think it was a bit of a laugh to some who were a bit less happy about it.
"We have friends in the north, some of our best friends, and they probably would have been on the phone to me if they had seen the story."
He said he stuck by the point that the Government should act to prevent too many people moving to areas without enough jobs. At Leckhampton with Warden Hill Parish Council's meeting on Thursday night, Mr Hall had suggested politicians intervene.
The suggestion was made during a debate about the Joint Core Strategy, which could see 1,300 homes built on the edge of Leckhampton and even more across the rest of Gloucestershire.
Council chairman Councillor Paul Ryder, who missed the meeting concerned due to work commitments, said: "The JCS is extremely emotional for quite a few people and I think that's why it came out.
"I wish I had been in the meeting and, had I been there, it would not have gone that far."
But one Cheltenham resident, lawyer Lionel Hurst, yesterday pointed out that the county had strong historic links with the north.
The rugby league enthusiast, who moved to Cheltenham from Lancashire in 1984 and now lives in Grevill Park, said: "Cheltenham hosted the first ever rugby league international test series decider, so we have strong ties to the north.
"And down the years many top rugby union players from Gloucestershire have gone north and some of the greatest have played rugby league tests, so there's a wonderful symmetry to it. It certainly brought a smile to my face when I read the comments and I've always found it very welcoming down here."
12 Comments
View all
by hewey2
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 1:41AM
“@ aGlosResident..I think you may need to have a look at your own punctuation,grammar and spelling!!!
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 11:35PM”
by aGlosResident
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 11:35PM
“Northerner's (NOT 'northerners' BAD GRAMMER 'thisisgloucestershire'!!!) are fine, so are Easterner's, Midlander's, Westener's & Southerner's of this country, hence we are all the same of a whole country, called England.
The Issue is, the Other's that have visited / stayed & bombarded our country in the last ten years from their countries, & sent our money back to their country with no return to our economy, hense we have been in bad state & they go from a 2nd world to 1st Country!
In the news on Tuesday, NHS spends at least £23 Million per a year for translation, of which, as tax / NI payer's all have to pay for. Which you can See here: http://tinyurl.com/862nbga
We all have to cover the costs of the above, and have no choice in the mater, where they get it for Free from us, due to Tax returns.
Therefore, we have less job position oppotunities, but just as important, less places to rent / purchase and/or live in.
Which is what this artice is REALLY ON ABOUT, but I bet this will get taken off, or me arrested for my own freedom of speech!!!!!!!
What do you all REALLY THINK?”
by Barry_Pong
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 3:14PM
“Cheltenham20, congratulations! I wondered how soon it would be before the boneheads started hijacking this thread to spout their moronic nonsense.”
by zinger1
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 1:39PM
“A little tip for Norman, "Keep your mouth shut and be thought an idiot rather than open it and remove all doubt".”
by Shireresident
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 1:22PM
“So presumably to stop all foreigners moving into anywhere all communities must be surrounded by barbed wire with look out posts and armed guards to prevent any social or geographical mobility. Welcome to Colditz Britain folks!”
by geordiegirli
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 12:45PM
“Norman = man from the North!”
by Lecorche
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 11:03AM
“Lol,Matt.
Did you see the episode of Yes,Minister that told a Minister to regard all microphones as being switched on. No? Neither did Gordon Brown. Or 'Naff' Hall.”
by cheltenham20
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 11:03AM
“Nothing wrong with northerners, its the illegals they want to start flushing out, a quick check of the take-aways, curry houses etc, and fast track out of the country and the people of Gloucestershire would start to hear there own language being spoken again, Go into cheltenham town centre it's almost impossible to hear any Engish being spoken,, Oh what a tangled web we weave.... When .......”
by TimMessanger
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 10:03AM
“Will John Terry say his alleged comment was "a throwaway remark"?”
by Matt1006
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 9:57AM
“He can claim it was a throwaway remark all he likes (i.e. frantic back-peddling now going on), but he said it and it's been published. Too late now, Cllr. Hall.
With all the media outlets available these days, people in public office really should be more careful about what they say, and who they say it to - but they continue to drop themselves in it with silly comments, and then when published they try to make light of it. Not fooling anyone, Norm.
Perhaps he'll engage his brain next time?”