The symbolism of seeing leaders who represent you really matters

On 7 October 2011, commenting on the possible fasct-tracking of ethnic minority and female officers within the force, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Bernard Hogan-Howe, said this in The Police Review magazine:

“I think there is some option for some of the people selected at middle and senior management to come from outside… I might take ten per cent who, after two to three years’ training, are up to strength. I would have an open mind about whether it is at inspector rank or superintendent.”

Asked if such a move would help diversity he added:

“In certain industries, women and ethnic minorities have achieved far more and far more quickly than in the police. If we are recruiting from that pool, it seems to me that we will have a lot more chance of being MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF SOCIETY. Although we are doing better at that at the recruitment stage, it takes an awfully long time to get to middle management and THAT IS WHERE THE SYMBOLISM OF SEEING LEADERS WHO REPRESENT YOU REALLY MATTERS.”

The Daily Telegraph commented thus:

“The police have long been criticised for under representation by women and ethnic minorities and moves to boost diversity have often fallen short of targets… Hogan-Howe suggested proposals to shake-up the traditional entry levels for the police could be used TO IMPROVE DIVERSITY. THEY WOULD BE BROUGHT STRAIGHT IN AT LEVELS ABOVE THE TRADITIONAL CONSTABLE AND UNDERGO FAST-TRACK TRAINING…

High-flying police officers could also be allowed TO LEAP FROG RANKS to get their expertise to the top quicker.”

Not merit, not talent; just the sickeningly routine preference of a treacherous elite for those we never wanted here in the first place. Oh yes, there will a whole lot more positive disrimination and affirmative action for the alien, institutionalised unfairness and discouragement for us before the book is closed on the British peoples.

'The symbolism of seeing leaders who represent you really matters.' Is he taking the p***, do you think? Or is he really not aware of the irony of these words. Hey, Bernard. Enoch Powell really represented us in 1968. Anyone saying the same thing now would represent us even more! And yet you would probably arrest whoever said such things! And you'd perform that arrest with a good deal of indignant and self-righteous, PC certitude, I'm sure.

I thought he would turn out to be a tw*t, didn’t you? There’s something deeply un-copper-like about him. Just as there was with Ian Blair. Whatever, yet another politically correct slag slithers to the top of the greasy pole.

It is war, ladies and gentlemen. THEY really are at war with us.