I came across a Grauniad leader this morning – and had to read it twice. Is this about Denmark, with the happiest people in the world?
I suppose the biggest difference a non-Dane notices over there is that most of the folk in the shopping centres (except perhaps in the few cities) are discernibly descended from Scandinavian stock. Compare that to most British towns. But there is another major difference. Since WWII we have grown used to seeing and living cheek-by-jowl with incomers of all races and persuasions; they are part of our landscape. I hate the word ‘integration’ but I would say they play a part in our society which most of us recognise and no longer resist, as we did at first. But the Danes are still where we stood after WWII! Hence the existence across that small country of 56 ‘ghettoes’, as described in the article, linked below.
After my second reading, I have had visions of PM Lars Løkke Rasmussen playing our favourite Viking, King Canute (never mind the spelling), as portrayed in fake news as a megalomaniac resisting the waves. I hope I’m wrong.
Boadicea's Chariot 
It’s typical of the Grauniad, so it’s probably best to take it with a 2-ton grain of salt. I’d be loath to disgrace birds by using a copy of it to line their cage. Sweden is a spectre that haunts Scandinavia. Norway isn’t very different now, either. Filipinos and other Asians have integrated into Danish society and done well for themselves. Much like elsewhere, a relatively high number of followers of a particular religion of peace haven’t. In typical Grauniad fashion, Denmark is blamed — everyone is blamed except the ones who are the outliers because, of course, whatever the prevailing PC slogan du jour is.
If certain refugees don’t want to learn Danish and start living peacefully among Danes, they know what they can do. Syria seems a bit more peaceful now, so they can trot off home.
I read in today’s DT that the Danish authorities are introducing legislation requiring those who have been in the country for three years or more to pay for their own interpreters if needed when they seek medical treatment. This is something we badly need to introduce too. I object to my taxes being spent on interpreters for people who have not made the effort to learn English. In France I was permitted to help my cousin find a flat to buy and take part in negotiations up to the final signature. Because I was not an “interprete assermente” he had to pay for an officially recognised interpreter at that point.
Sheona: The centre of Danish politics has moved well to the right. The next government, almost certain to be led by the Social Democrats, have become a centrist, almost right-of-centre, party. It’s telling that the Danish People’s Party, the Danish UKIP, have had discussions with the Social Democrats because they’ve narrowed the gap enough in terms of ideology.
The irony is that the SDs are theoretically left of Venstre, the incumbent party with LL Rasmussen. So an alliance with the extremists to the right can only be explained by a circular view of politics. The further the lefties drift left, the closer they are to the extreme rights drifting right!
Meanwhile, in other news, Linkey thing
OZ
Hi OZ! Y’mean the lads are no longer all tall blond and handsome? Getouttahere.
The Danish burqa ban comes into force today. There are very few akshully worn but the Folketing obviously disapproves of them.