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Alex Scott had the perfect response to Sir Digby Jones’s accent snobbery
If you’ve been enjoying the spectacle of the Olympics, you’ll almost certainly have seen or heard former Arsenal footballer, Alex Scott, keeping us informed of the action.
Here she is, with a very powerful statement of support for Simone Biles, who stepped back from competing to focus on her mental health.
It is important, and it does matter! #mentalhealth pic.twitter.com/U4ZWJwjf6U
— Alex Scott MBE (@AlexScott) July 28, 2021
Sir Digby Jones, crossbench peer of the realm, has clearly heard Alex Jones commentating, but he doesn’t appear to have appreciated the experience, because he took to Twitter with this snarky thread.
His blatant snobbery was as well received as you’d expect.
Digby raises a good question actually, why don't we all sound identical? https://t.co/SdXuXc7T2J
— 🥛🇬🇧Michael Govern Ready🇬🇧🥛 (@mikegove12) July 31, 2021
Don’t be a cun
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) July 31, 2021
Enough! I can't stand it anymore! A Lord who doesn't use punctuation properly:
– "g's"
– space before 'Competitors'
– no quotation marks when quoting the words he takes umbrage with https://t.co/MpD5wc5xbC— 🇧🇩 Michael 🏴 Pakintyre 🇵🇰 (@eshaanakbar) July 31, 2021
Alright mate, we didn’t all study Lating. https://t.co/CsCXp3mRGe
— Rich Neville (@RichNeville) July 31, 2021
Our PM, Boris Johnson, is a stuttering, slurring, incoherent lying criminal.
And this posh Tory spanner is upset about a Commentator having a regional accent? https://t.co/3cRQiF4172— El Christo (@ElRaynerista) July 31, 2021
I was brought up with ‘corrections’ if I dropped letters/didn’t speak “properly”, because it made me sound “illiterate” – essentially being conditioned that regional accents = thick. I VERY MUCH believes this attitude robs us of the expertise people with accents have to offer. https://t.co/V46tHIX944
— Mitten d'Amour (@MittenDAmour) July 31, 2021
That's a long way of saying "I'm an insufferable snob".
But you know, you do you. https://t.co/q9HeAfnNO8
— That Baratheon Girl 🍷💙🇪🇺 🏴 ⚽🏉🌹 (@baratheongirl) July 31, 2021
Gary Neville, a man who knows a thing or two about punditry and having a regional accent, had this to say.
Lord Digby Jones ! Just say that name to yourself a few times ! He has a say in how our country operates .
I’m actually starting to see how revolutions occurred ! Are you ?
— Gary Neville (@GNev2) July 31, 2021
Alex read the peer’s post, and had this perfect response, which sends a really important message to young people contemplating their futures.
I’m from a working class family in East London, Poplar, Tower Hamlets & I am PROUD 🙌🏾
Proud of the young girl who overcame obstacles, and proud of my accent!
It’s me, it’s my journey, my grit.
(1/3) 👇🏾 https://t.co/EObv88MVS0— Alex Scott MBE (@AlexScott) July 30, 2021
A quick one to any young kids who may not have a certain kind of privilege in life.
Never allow judgments on your class, accent, or appearance hold you back.
Use your history to write your story.
Keep striving, keep shining & don’t change for anyone 👊🏾
2/3 pic.twitter.com/XITlhtgtxg— Alex Scott MBE (@AlexScott) July 30, 2021
Tweets like this just give me the energy to keep going ⛽️🙌🏾
See you tomorrow.. live on BBC baby 😘 pic.twitter.com/oI21jpK6r5
— Alex Scott MBE (@AlexScott) July 30, 2021
And the cherry on the cake? This …
Incredible scenes @AlexScott. What a class act. https://t.co/YPcMxierhz pic.twitter.com/ekxgqJjfaB
— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) July 31, 2021
Her reaction went down a lot better than his thread had.
And every working class person watching is proud of you @AlexScott.
Whether it’s on TV or in Parliament we need more people who are proud of their accent and where they come from and a lot fewer classist dinosaurs attacking people for how they speak.https://t.co/V1H0iHnGFu https://t.co/WpzkoX0gmf
— Angela Rayner (@AngelaRayner) August 1, 2021
From a proud sarf Londoner to a proud East Londoner: well said @AlexScott 👏🏾
Our diversity is our strength. https://t.co/fMKI47XrkZ pic.twitter.com/xKKvtSZP5J
— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) July 31, 2021
Alex – it is not about accent, wealth or skin colour. It is about them as a person. Are they a good, positive, fun, interesting person. If so – that’s it. We have always told our kids that and have to say the rest is bullshit! You are hugely impressive – please stay that way 🙏
— Will Carling 💙 (@willcarling) July 31, 2021
Stephen Fry stepped in to deliver the coup de grâce.
You are everything linguists and true lovers of language despise. Also, since we’re being picky, you are not “Lord Digby Jones”, you are Digby, Lord Jones. There’s a world of difference. But however you’re titled, you disgrace the upper house with your misplaced snobbery
— Stephen Fry (@stephenfry) July 31, 2021
As Shaparak Khorsandi pointed out –
When Stephen Fry steps in, you know all of our work is done. https://t.co/v8BrdfDosA
— Shaparak Khorsandi (@ShappiKhorsandi) July 31, 2021
And Jones, himself – how’s his elocution? Not great, it turns out.
Here’s a video of you. You frequently abbreviate ‘them’ to ‘em’. You drop the T on ‘celebrate’ in the first minute.
I have filmed with you both. Alex, being engaging rather than full of self importance and bluster, was a far more effective communicator. https://t.co/DAuGvTWK7i— Ian Eason (@IanEason) July 31, 2021
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Source Alex Scott Image Screengrab