A British woman named Lucy White, who positions herself as a “Public Policy Specialist” in her X bio, has raised hackles by complaining to Marks & Spencer about Indian staff members speaking in Hindi among themselves at the quintessentially British fashion brand’s store within London Heathrow airport.
Her stance has got quite a few backers, including Pakistani voices trying to create a scare scenario over legal Indian immigration into the United Kingdom. However, she has also been savagely criticised for her “bigotry”.
Comments disparaging White have described her as a “Karen” (code name for an entitled, obnoxious white woman who engages in racist displays) and an “absolutely attention seeking clown”.
Last night, on X, Lucy White said she was feeling “grateful” that Marks & Spencer had “apologised following my recent experience whereby the staff spoke in a foreign language, which was unwelcoming and unprofessional”.
White said in her X post late on July 28: “We are fast becoming an ‘Island of Strangers’. A common language is required to avoid society fracturing.”
This is a follow-up to her X first post on July 25, in which she wrote: “Just landed in Heathrow Airport T3. Went into M&S. Three @marksandspencer staff speaking in another language. I asked them ‘What language are you speaking?’ They responded ‘Hindi’. I have a voice recording & their names to report to M&S. We must confront them every time.”
This post had got some 4.8 million views, and there were many comments agreeing with White. X user JE Powell (@Patriarchy46293) urged: “Well, what are you waiting for? Report them.”
G Force (@GForce25040) said in an ominous tone: “Exactly! The Indians are quietly taking over England. Everyone is focused on Muslim but forgetting indian. You’ll need to focus on all foreigners – including Russians, Ukrainians, Chinese, Polish. Move them out and England will survive (sic).”
Along with the follow-up to her first post, White also shared a couple of screenshots that she claimed were from Marks & Spencer. Though no M&S logo or company letterhead was visible in those screenshots, they appeared to be mollifying an aggrieved customer in typical corporate language.
The fashion brand purportedly apologised to White for a store visit that left her feeling “disappointed and uncomfortable”. It said that her “…concerns have been heard and taken seriously…” without revealing any other action.
M&S itself was blamed by one X user for employing what she saw as foreign staff. Victoria Atherton (@vvatherton) wrote: “Marks and Spencers (sic) used to be staffed with lovely English women. British people used to work in all retail stores. The idea that British people don’t want these jobs is ridiculous. Many jobs have been made unbearable for native Brits as the working environment is completely foreign and hostile.”
However, White has had less favourable reactions to her second post, in which she claimed that M&S had apologised to her.
X user ThisGuySaysIt (@ThisGuySaysIt) wrote to her: “You are a phenomenally vile person. Congratulations. Enjoy living a life in hate (thumbs up emoji).”
X user Sol solo (@Solsolo4) implied that it was the Indian staff members who could retaliate against White by seeking labour union support. He wrote: “Oh for f sakes. @marksandspencer she will be asking you to send your staff on a plane to Rwanda next. Don’t pander to her bigotry. If I was those staff members I would seek advice from a union rep? What do you think @TUC?”
The reference to “a plane to Rwanda” relates to the UK government’s plan to send asylum-seekers to the African nation of Rwanda. The bill for this plan was prepared by the Conservative government led by Rishi Sunak and passed by the UK parliament. But Labour leader Keir Starmer, now UK PM, had pledged to scrap the bill if he won the national elections.
