Andy Preston doesn't think white privilege exists.

The biggest barrier to progression in life in Middlesbrough, and almost anywhere, is always the same: poverty.

He is spot on with that a poverty is a far more significant factor than race. Thats not to say rascism shouldn't be tackled
 
In my opinion this explains it well:

The problem is people talking about it who don't really understand it. I think "privilege" is a bit misleading. But when you understand the concept hard to argue that it doesn't exist. At best Ill advised comments from him.

I'm not claiming to be an expert by any means. But then I'm a nobody and I'm not expressing strong opinions about it on social media.
 
I can't imagine it being anything other than a nightmare for the council officers dealing with the fallout from this. I also imagine the head of comms has had a busy day. It really reflects poorly on the area.
 
I think of privilege much more in class terms than race. Being working class is a disadvantage in life if you are white or black. A non-white middle class child is more privileged than a white working class one in the UK - USA seems different with a much deeper form for racism historically - evidence lynchings and KKK activity.
 
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Yeah but it has been pointed out many times that white privilege simply doesn't mean that, redwurzel. It's actually quite a simple concept to understand. Preston knows this.
 
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black people are subjected to racism, white people are not, this could be going for a job interview for example. white people can be disadvantaged but not because of skin colour. if your black your likely to be poor, your less likely to be in high paid jobs, or wield any power.
 
This is a difficult area, it is not simple - to me highlighting skin colour is possibly encouraging racism through racial differentiation. To me I want a world that is colour blind, class blind and disability blind.

Every time someone opens their mouth they are pigeon holed in this country. If you have a distinct regional English its not going to help you in most job interviews for higher professional jobs.

Traditionally people who are not white British have been classified as working class by those in positions of authority and have had class prejudice issues branded as race issues in some instances. There has been pure race hate too, but I really do feel this is not common today. Hidden mild racism/ prejudices is more the issue today in the UK, but it is changing all the time and will change as people from non white backgrounds join the middle classes.

In this country we have legal protection on racial grounds and had it since 1965. There is still no legal protection on social class grounds and for disability there was no protection until 1996. If people think there is prejudice against the non white community look at the number of MPs who are disabled (10% of the UK pop : 5 MPs) and compare that with the number who are non white (15% of UK pop : 65 MPs) and which one gets the most publicity.

Poverty and social class are closely aligned - it is possible to rise out of low income groups, but its difficult for both people who are white and non white people, say if you live in a deprived area of Teesside where opportunities are not the same as say in the London area. People care about what happened in the USA to African/Americans, but its a tough life in Grove Hill and similar areas for anyone, not just people of colour. Its also getting tougher in the Grove Hills of this World. Creating more opportunities for everyone in low income groups is the most important thing for me and reducing wealth and income inequality.
 
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