There is a guy who worked down the chip shop

Many years ago I had the unpleasant experience of sitting down with a bunch of colleagues from a Major Merchant Bank in the City. We were drinking in a place called Options near the Stock Exchange or it may even have been in the Arbitrager. It was a long, long time ago.

On this occasion the table was made up of myself, a guy from the Republic of Ireland, a Sikh, two Hindus and a couple of male, so called Moslems. After a few beers the conversation turned to "what a bunch of scum bags the English were".

Being one of those boys from the valleys with a very noticeable Welsh accent, I am sure they thought they were on safe ground. Looking back at the table make-up , I am surprised they didn't start killing each other. But these were high flying city boys and so united against what they saw as a common enemy - the English. I kept my silence for awhile to see how far they would go - and they did - all the way to the end. Their envy and hatred sickened me. Servicemen tend to value loyalty.

Well I had not long left the forces - and had very strong feelings about the Union and the IRA and being younger and Welsh, I done the right thing by my standards at the time and punched hell into the Irishman when he started to sing "Dublin in the Green" whilst trying to strangle and kick hell into the others. I am not proud of my actions but it was the fact that they would work with the English and joke and smile and take their money and in their hearts carry such envy and hatred.

The next day I moved to another Merchant Bank after signing a non disclosure agreement. The following Monday was Black Monday and I watched the world through the computer screens turn red.

Later in the Rifle Club -the City is really quite small, I bumped into the Indians who told me that the Moslems were the scum of the world but that one day the UK would either belong to them or to the Indians. I laughed. So did they and we had a pleasant night. I like Sikhs, they know how to drink.

So what does the guy down the chip shop have to do with this, you ask? Well patience and all will be revealed.

Now years later, living by the sea in much reduced circumstance after a bad divorce I found myself speaking to an acquaintance from the valleys who works the fairgrounds and places like that. Well it appears that the bottom end of the market boys are really annoyed with the Polish, who have taken their jobs on the fairground, fast food outlets, cleaning the chalets and holiday caravans that they normally do. They are angry.

Finally, the chip shop. He used to work in one where he would get around £4.00 an hour on the "side" whilst still getting benefit now he has been replaced by a Polish person who he knows for a fact is getting just £2.00 per hour.

Well today, although not a chip lover I decided to visit the chip shop. My informant was correct, a bevy of young Polish girls were serving and very pleasant they were. I commented on how many young Polish people were working in the area and one - very attractive and with excellent English, laughed and said "Yes we are colonising your Country".

I went and sat on a rock and looked over the Bristol Channel to England. Foreland Point is just visible and I console myself with the thought that if we British did not push the evil sheep people out of our Country then the young Poles will.

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch, if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds' worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!