Man praised for 'beautiful' radio call about 'heart and soul' of Britain amid far-right riots

A man has been applauded for his words on how sad he is to see the country so divided and that a multicultural society has "enriched [his] life and [his] community."

In a phone call with LBC host Shelagh Fogarty on Friday (August 2), caller Darren who works as a doorman shared the ways he has made "adjustments to people that may be different or have come from a different world."

This discussion comes as riots continue across the UK from the far-right after misinformation circulated that the suspect responsible for the mass stabbing of children that killed three young girls in Southport on July 29 was a Muslim asylum seeker.

"Sometimes, when I walk down the street, I’ll see some Muslim women and they’re a bit nervous because of the way I look so I deliberately give them a nice big smile or say to them ‘good morning ladies, how are you?’ just to make them at ease."

“I’ll tell you my experience of immigration. I’m 55. I remember when I was a young nipper in the 80s, the Jamaicans, the Bajans and the West Indians and all I went to school with and their mums and dads who’d come over in the 60s…

“They were our bus drivers and our nurses and they’re part of our community now and we’re proud and they’re proud."

He continued: "You see them wearing England tops and everything but in the 80s they supported West Indies.

"Cricketers today all support the England team because they see themselves in the England team."

He then went on to tell Fogarty: "Saturday night, I go for a nice Indian curry, I have a kebab on the way home.

"I have culture, I have colour, I’ve learnt things from around the world.

"They’ve enriched my life and my community.

"When I say my people, because I love my country and I love my people, I’m talking about the people – doesn’t matter what colour, creed, religion you are – if you live in my community… you are my people,” he passionately proclaimed.

Since then, Darren has been widely praised on social media for his thoughtful words.

One person said: "This is just beautiful! We all need to be a bit more Darren!!!"

"EVERYONE NEEDS TO LISTEN TO DARREN!!" another person wrote. "This is multicultural Britain! Listening to these three clips, the one thing he so eloquently makes clear - if you are open, our diversity is beautiful. It enriches our lives & our communities. If you are closed to it you are missing out..."

Someone else added: "In a world that's trying to convince you to be a Nigel or a Tommy, be a Darren."

"I would like to meet this man and shake him by the hand. He is a real gentleman in every sense of the word," a fourth person commented.

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