London Diary: Shoplifting a national sport

From a nation of shopkeepers to a nation of shoplifters? Well, that’s how criminologists see modern Britain—an increasingly dishonest society where people are more willing than ever to cheat and commit fraud.

According to a study by David Shepherd, a criminologist at the University of Portsmouth, ‘Shoplifting has almost become a national sport’.

Highlighting the growing tolerance for ‘everyday economic criminality’, the study says, ‘What the research shows is that there has been a decline in honesty and that it is associated with younger people.’

There’s a new term, invented by Professor Emmeline Taylor of the University of London, to describe white collar shoplifters: ‘swiper’. It stands for ‘Seemingly Well-Intentioned Patrons Engaging in Regular Shoplifting’.

The practice appears to be growing alongside a shift in social attitudes. “Shop theft used to be a grubby sort of crime. Now you have people joking about the latest thing they’ve stolen—how they ‘accidentally’ put a bottle of prosecco through disguised as a bunch of bananas,” Taylor said.

Supermarket pilfering may just be the tip of the iceberg. The rise of social media and tawdry behaviour from public figures, including politicians, are said to have played a role in this shift. ‘We have young people being exposed to attitudes and behaviours which normalise everyday dishonesty and everyday cheating,’ said the study.

So far, the older generation seems to have ducked the trend. But for how long?

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Patriotism wrapped up in racism

Despite vast improvement in race relations in Britain in recent years, some 48 per cent of young Brits still think that “as a nation we are racist”, compared with 36 per cent who do not. This, according to a new poll, which also revealed that only 41 per cent of 18 to 27-year-olds said they were proud to be British—down from 80 per cent in 2004.

Their argument: the issue of patriotism is wrapped up with racism. “Why would I help you, if you don’t want to really help me, and half the time you want to get rid of me,” said one young immigrant alluding to bullying of ‘foreigners’ who are constantly told to “go home”.

Pride in Britain has also fallen significantly among Gen Z which does not trust the nation’s institutions, including the police and the National Health Service (NHS). New Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called it a “wake-up call we can’t afford to ignore”.

“Almost half of young Brits think their country is racist. These poll results are a call to action. We must work together to create a future where young people feel connected, valued and proud of their country,” she said. Easier said than done, ma’am.

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Out of love with Labour

Barely six months after giving the Labour party a massive mandate to govern, British voters have fallen out of love with it following a series of unpopular decisions which have alienated large swathes of people across the economic and class divide.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s personal ratings today are worse than those of his Tory predecessor Rishi Sunak at any point in his tumultuous leadership. Commentators have described it as a calamitous collapse.

Asked by researchers from the More in Common UK think-tank to describe the prime minister in one word, most opted for ‘useless’, ‘bad’ and ‘liar’ (for going back on his party’s election promises). The report said, ‘There are hardly any positive descriptions.’

Voters also frequently mentioned his hairstyle, which they don’t like. So that’s what it’s come to these days. Politicians in the West are judged by their hairstyles!

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EDI zindabad, UK-style

At a time when diversity, equity and inclusion (EDI, or more commonly DEI) policies are under attack everywhere, especially America where President Donald Trump is on a warpath to uproot them, the British government has doubled down on the idea.

It has warned universities that if they fail to champion diversity they will have their research budgets cut under a funding plan that critics say will put ‘ideological conformity’ above academic excellence.

Universities will have to show how they are ‘robustly’ tackling inequities and promoting diversity and inclusion across all areas of their activities in order to become eligible for research grants. In particular, they will have to demonstrate the percentage of black, Asian and mixed-race academics eligible for funding and provide evidence of the ‘percentage of promotion success per under-represented groups’.

Critics say the change will result in universities prioritising EDI initiatives over merit. They have also raised concerns that it gives no weight to academic freedom despite concerns about pressure on academics over controversial issues such as trans rights.

“It is a terrible way of allocating funding,” said John Armstrong, a lecturer at King’s College, London.

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And, finally, a move by the Church of England to ban alcohol-free wine and gluten-free bread during Holy Communion and allow only wheaten bread and alcoholic wine has sparked a lively debate. What if these items are not available in certain circumstances such as in the midst of a war?

‘My late father served as an army padre in the jungles of Burma during the Second World War and celebrated the Eucharist using plain biscuits and lime juice, Communion items would hardly have been a priority for a unit being supplied entirely by air drop,’ wrote a reader in a letter to the Times amidst calls for a more ‘commonsensical’ approach.