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The battle between old and new France is now impossible to ignore
Columnist Nabila Ramdani argues that the colonial mindset is still very strong in a country looking to the past
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France’s speed cameras are infuriating – and that’s why they keep getting vandalised
Columnist Samantha David says the devices seem designed to catch drivers out
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Reinstating the French monarchy makes no sense at all
Columnist Nick Inman argues against a right-wing delusion
Fight online hatred
Inaccurate, hate-filled messages about expatriates can be found on UK news websites.
Examples include “No one cares about expats. Take your winter heating payments and shut up”, “Take the nationality of the country they chose to live in and without the perks of UK health services which I know some of them fly back to use”, “I’m not going to change my vote so that people who chose to leave our country can avoid change. Jog on”.
The repellent “patriotism” of these messages has its problems and contradictions. Is it less patriotic to work for a British company in France than for a US one in the UK?
Is it unpatriotic to marry a foreigner and where should such couples live?
Why would a Briton in France, which has an excellent health service, want treatment in the UK? Why is it thought that expatriates do not pay tax on their UK pensions?
Given the failure of the British media to counter the drivel on their websites, readers of Connexion might do so themselves – en masse.
Victor NORRIS, By email
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