Unbelievable.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/metropolitan-police-new-police-constables-6104491


Utter, utter bullshit.

...and yet French is the most widely taught language in the UK.

Presumably they aren't expecting any French criminals.

And why is Urdu not included? It's extremely popular in the north west. I notice Welsh hasn't been included either! 

As a Welshman RT, I was going to say the very same. (Mind you, I can't speak it myself, after my lessons at school finished when I was 8 years old, and moved to Scotland).

I thought it was a windup but apparently this is genuine. As you say RT unbelievable!

Right idea to get more officers speaking second languages. Ridiculous to try and make it a requirement, we'd end up without a force! 

It will never last.

Taking the translator's jobs now are they?

Is Russia on the list?

incroyable!

Surely those wishing to live in this country should be required to be able speak (and write) English rather than place the onus on our humble police officers to learn a second language.

okocha wrote:Surely those wishing to live in this country should be required to be able speak (and write) English rather than place the onus on our humble police officers to learn a second language.

Exactly.. and seeing as English just happens to be THE international language, the onus should be on those who choose to live here but can't speak English, to make more of an effort.

Although Cameron's speech yesterday was (typically!) more a waffle-filled statement of his views rather than a set of practical solutions, he did mention one thing relevant here to the issue of how integration is failing: he said, "We believe in respecting different faiths, but also expecting those faiths to support the British way of life"

This surely implies that immigrants should learn the English language. That should be the first step in proving that someone is keen to fit in with their chosen society. And if they don't wish to comply......

Reebok Trotter wrote:

okocha wrote:Surely those wishing to live in this country should be required to be able speak (and write) English rather than place the onus on our humble police officers to learn a second language.

Exactly.. and seeing as English just happens to be THE international language, the onus should be on those who choose to live here but can't speak English, to make more of an effort.

Yeah, because us English are famed the world over for quietly assimilating into local culture and learning the local lingo whenever we move abroad, aren't we.....?

(Sorry, not trying to be an arse because I actually agree that it's a stupid idea in principle, but I had to raise a smile when I read comments along the lines of "If they're moving over here, they can bloody well learn our language!", given that there are whole swathes of the Costa del Sol where you hardly hear Spanish spoken and they sell more Pukka Pies than Paella.)

If you live in a foreign country you should learn the language. If I moved to France or Spain I would learn French or Spanish. I have no time for those arseholes who live elsewhere and don't learn the language.

xmiles wrote:If you live in a foreign country you should learn the language. If I moved to France or Spain I would learn French or Spanish. I have no time for those arseholes who live elsewhere and don't learn the language.

Completely agree, don't know why anybody would want to isolate themselves from wider society to such an extent.

I still think this is a good idea in principle though - although it shouldn't be a requirement. Offering officers the option to learn a second language can only be a good thing in my eyes.

Breadman: Nobody said, "They can bloody well learn the language!" 

 Personally I couldn't bear the thought of moving to a new country and mixing only with ex-pats because I couldn't be bothered to learn the language, missing out on the chance of new experiences.  What would be the point....unless the whole idea is simply to chase the sun, which is a pretty limited aspiration.

Of course, you are right that some Brits do move to sunny climes simply to see out their days in the warmth. A long way to commute the Macron, though!

okocha wrote:Breadman: Nobody said, "They can bloody well learn the language!" 

 Personally I couldn't bear the thought of moving to a new country and mixing only with ex-pats because I couldn't be bothered to learn the language, missing out on the chance of new experiences.  What would be the point....unless the whole idea is simply to chase the sun, which is a pretty limited aspiration.

Of course, you are right that some Brits do move to sunny climes simply to see out their days in the warmth. A long way to commute the Macron, though!

To be honest, most of the time I see Brits abroad it's shameful. Loud, abrasive, drunks who take zero interest in the cultures of other countries.

It's no wonder most Europeans can't stand us.

Breadman wrote:

Reebok Trotter wrote:

okocha wrote:Surely those wishing to live in this country should be required to be able speak (and write) English rather than place the onus on our humble police officers to learn a second language.

Exactly.. and seeing as English just happens to be THE international language, the onus should be on those who choose to live here but can't speak English, to make more of an effort.

Yeah, because us English are famed the world over for quietly assimilating into local culture and learning the local lingo whenever we move abroad, aren't we.....?

(Sorry, not trying to be an arse because I actually agree that it's a stupid idea in principle, but I had to raise a smile when I read comments along the lines of "If they're moving over here, they can bloody well learn our language!", given that there are whole swathes of the Costa del Sol where you hardly hear Spanish spoken and they sell more Pukka Pies than Paella.)

Have to agree.
Most of them are part of the 'shout louder and the bastards will understand' brigade.

We went on a boat trip to a secluded cove in Turkey on our recent holiday and it was stunning.

The captain dropped anchor and the twelve or so of us on the boat (a mix of Nordic Europeans, Germans and me & The Boss) enjoyed a relaxing lunch in the sun amidst some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen.

It was a wonderfully peaceful spot but the tranquillity was shattered after about half an hour when another boat pulled up about fifty yards away.

It had a boombox blaring dance music out and the passengers all seemed to be half pissed and were shouting and screaming the whole time.

Nobody said a word on our boat but you could tell what they were all thinking.

And the worst bit was, the passengers on the second boat were all middle-aged English people.

This isn't "white man's guilt" or snobbery, but I was honestly ashamed and embarrassed to be English that day.

74's right - If I were a (proper) European, I'd hate the English.

Similar story, went to visit my sister who was working in Dubai. We were sat on the beach and overheard a middle aged British man shouting at a beach worker. 

Seemed he'd taken offence at being told he wasn't allowed to open his bottle of vodka on the beach. He couldn't seem to grasp that the fact he himself wasn't Muslim didn't make any difference.

Hope he got thrown in prison the ignorant twat.

Yes, have to agree: Brits on holiday are often an embarrassment. It's so easy to pick them out from the rest. Even at the airports, Brits stand out as uncouth, loud, drunk and insensitive to others. The way they dress tends to mark them out too.

But is it also true of those Brits who choose to actually go to live abroad?