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This builder’s takedown of the Daily Mail’s ‘woke’ dogwhistling is important and supremely satisfying

John Plunkett. Updated June 21st, 2022

As you might already have seen elsewhere, the Mail’s obsession with all things ‘woke’ took a fresh turn this week after it declared that ‘UK builders have gone woke’.

Here’s the headline on the Mail Online story …

… and just a little bit of what the story had to say.

‘Forget the stereotype that builders are wolf-whistling white van men devouring greasy-spoon breakfasts and discussing sport as radios blare out inane pop music.

‘Instead, modern tradesmen are sensitive souls more likely to enjoy yoga, muesli, listening to Radio 4 and sharing their feelings, a survey has found. In a poll of 2,000 builders, three quarters said they regularly discussed emotions with colleagues; two-thirds shun fried breakfasts; and one in five is an art-lover.’

The article, such as it was, prompted no end of fabulous responses and you can read 13 of our favourites here.

But surely the best response came from these builders working on the Hinkley Point power station in Somerset.

Here’s what Jamie had to say.

‘I’ve got a message for the Mail newspaper about your story calling us all woke.

‘We work long hours on a manual job for long stretches away from our family and friends. We have the highest suicide rate among male occupations.

‘It’s not easy being away from your home and family but I guess you wouldn’t understand that.

‘So if you think it’s a laugh to take the mick out of us about yoga, and meditation and other things, like our feelings and speaking to each other about our mental health, you can give your head a wobble and get in the real world.

‘Mental health is massive and people need to speak to each other. Talking to each other saves lives.

‘Forget your diverse culture wars and your woke narratives and we’ll carry on looking after each other here and our mental health at HPC.

‘And we’ll carry on reading a proper newspaper as well, a working man’s newspapers. And we absolutely love a breakfast so get your facts right.’

The final line about breakfasts was the perfect payoff.

Here are just a few of the things people were saying about it today.

https://twitter.com/bmay/status/1538954731258880001?s=20&t=NJbFao3_7RF4CP37dtiNlQ

https://twitter.com/nicmillerstale/status/1538937260288184320?s=20&t=XSt8Ylm6LYMaC1VXavigBg

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Source Twitter @GMG_union