[Albion] Good on you Stacey Dooley

[Lenny Rider]

Apologies for the basic cutting and pasting.


'If the issue is that I'm white... you could always go': Stacey Dooley hits back in 'no more white saviours' row after MP David Lammy slams her on Twitter for encouraging stereotypes by travelling to Uganda for Comic Relief
•Stacey Dooley, 31, is filming a documentary in Uganda with charity Comic Relief
•Instagram pictures show her filming in the country and meeting the locals
•Labour MP David Lammy accused her of perpetuating an 'unhelpful stereotype'
•Comic Relief criticised in the past for using 'poverty porn' in their charity appeals

By Rod Ardehali and Sarah Finley For Mailonline

Published: 23:26, 27 February 2019 | Updated: 08:24, 28 February 2019


Stacey Dooley is today at the centre of an extraordinary race row with Labour MP David Lammy after he said her Comic Relief trip to Uganda is part of Britain's 'white saviour' complex in Africa.

The 31-year-old investigative reporter and Strictly star was involved in a Twitter spat with Mr Lammy over her charity documentary and hit back: 'If the issue is that I'm white... you could always go'.

Mr Lammy rebuked her for appearing in a programme in Uganda which he says promotes 'tired and unhelpful stereotypes' and encourages a 'white saviour' complex - but insisted his attack was not personal.

Strictly star, Miss Dooley is in Africa filming for the charity and posted pictures on Instagram of local women dancing and of children hugging her.


However, the Tottenham MP accused Miss Dooley of showing a 'distorted image of Africa' and perpetuating a 'colonial era' mentality that suggests white people are the solution to poverty in deprived parts of the world.

Mr Lammy, 46, acknowledged Miss Dooley's 'good motives' but bemoaned the British celebrity trope of travelling to Africa to film charity appeals.

Miss Dooley, whose documentary focuses on Malaria and neonatal clinics, responded to the MPs twitter remarks and highlighted the £1billion raised by Comic Relief since it was founded in 1985 by the comedian Lenny Henry.

Labour MP David Lammy criticised Stacey Dooley for appearing in a Comic Relief documentary in Uganda which promotes 'tired and unhelpful stereotypes' and for encouraging a 'white saviour' complex

Documentary maker Stacey Dooley has been criticised for not meeting up with a No White Saviours group while on a charity trip to Uganda


Labour MP David Lammy criticised Stacey Dooley for appearing in a Comic Relief documentary in Uganda which promotes 'tired and unhelpful stereotypes' and for encouraging a 'white saviour' complex

Dooley, 31, is currently filming with Comic Relief about neonatal clinics and malaria in Uganda.

Mr Lammy did acknowledge Miss Dooley's 'good motives' but bemoaned the British celebrity trope of travelling to poorer parts of Africa to film Comic Relief packages


Writing on social media, Mr Lammy said: 'The world doesn't need anymore white saviours. As I've said before, this just perpetuates tired and unhelpful stereotypes.'

The MP added: 'Let's promote voices from across the continent of Africa and have a serious debate.'

Addressing Miss Dooley directly, he said: 'This isn't personal and I don't question your good motives. My problem with British celebrities being flown out by Comic Relief to make these films is that it sends a distorted image of Africa which perpetuates an old idea from the colonial era.'

Miss Dooley replied: 'Is the issue with me being white? (Genuine question) ...because if that's the case, you could always go over there and try raise awareness [sic]?

'I saw projects that were saving lives with the money. Kids lives.'

Mr Lammy added that it's 'complacent to suggest that colonial attitudes are dead', and pointed to the Oxfam scandal, where white aid workers volunteering in Haiti sexually exploited women living in desperate poverty.




Its for charity FFS, but don't let that stop another out of touch MP playing the race card...........

Having sponsored a lad in an orphanage in Uganda for the last 10 years, and he has a number of Albion and England shirts sent out by Harty Junior, the kids wouldn't care what colour the person was who was helping them..

 

[Beach Hut]

Mr Lammy clearly has one massive chip on his shoulder with these type of views

 

[Ernest]

It's a wonder he has time to do this with all the time he is devoting to a 'People's Vote'

 

[Dave the OAP]

It's a wonder he has time to do this with all the time he is devoting to a 'People's Vote'

Is that the one your party now supports bIg T?

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

They both have a point, and if they both paused and reflected, would agree with each other.

 

[Moshe Gariani]

They both have a point, and if they both paused and reflected, would agree with each other.

Up to a point. David Lammy's point is rather stronger.

Is it really only £1bn in 34 years of national fundraising? That is the sort of loose change that can be found down the back of a No.10 sofa when needed for something important.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

What a crap and unfair dig. Comic Relief brings hugely worthwhile projects into people's living rooms that would otherwise remain completely under the radar for the majority. What would David Lammy put in it's place apart from 'serious debate'?

 

[Sussex Nomad]

They both have a point, and if they both paused and reflected, would agree with each other.

And if the 'white saviours' said screw this, don't need the negative media and all boycotted, how long before they're accused by the likes of Lammy of doing nothing for third world poverty?

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

And if the 'white saviours' said screw this, don't need the negative media and all boycotted, how long before they're accused by the likes of Lammy of doing nothing for third world poverty?

Far better to have a collaboration over this issue than confrontation.

Work together, they all basically agree when they step back and think about it.

Storms and teacups, really.

 

[Dave the OAP]

He is the ultimate " jump on the bandwaggon" politician

If he was white, he wouldn't have got away with that comment.

 

[Springal]

Why hasn't he had a go at Lenny Henry ?

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Far better to have a collaboration over this issue than confrontation.

Work together, they all basically agree when they step back and think about it.

Storms and teacups, really.

Very possibly a storm in a tea cup, so why did Lammy even bother opening his self satisfying gob to bring it up? Charity is charity, whatever nationality, colour and creed it is done in and 'personalities' have a big role in bringing these causes to the attention of the public, not bemoaning it for colour.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Why hasn't he had a go at Lenny Henry ?

Would be excellent if Lenny Henry could weigh in, slap him down and put him back in his box.

 

[Wrong-Direction]

Shock horror another MP is shown out to be a ****.

Sent from my SM-A600FN using Tapatalk

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Why hasn't he had a go at Lenny Henry ?

Well his point is that parachuting a white celebrity 'rescuer' in reinforces a stereotype of colonial superiority, and Lenny Henry doesn't reinforce this stereotype I suppose.

I guess you either see and accept his clumsy point, or not.

 

[Springal]

Well his point is that parachuting a white celebrity in reinforces a stereotype of colonial superiority, and Lenny Henry doesn't reinforce this stereotype I suppose.

I guess you either see and accept his clumsy point, or not.

We might as well just not bother, and let other African countries raise money for 'their own' then, or whatever point he is trying to make.

 

[Return of the Rev]

Surely in this day and age we should lift the ban on only white people raising money through red nose day, after all its not white nose day.

 

[gazingdown]

Even if Lammy was right (he very much isn’t) about “white saviours” etc., the recipients of the charity really don’t care what “message it sends out”, they just want and need food and medical care and help.

Anyone getting in the way of this (i.e. Lammy with his comments potentially putting off “white saviours” is simply adding to the problems of those needing charity. He doesn’t offer them any solutions.

Simply, I’m strongly of the opinion that Lammy is simply a racist and his “agenda” trumps people getting aid. Note that he does not criticise Lenny Henry, who according to Lammy’s logic is a “western saviour” so motivation for helping is the same thing as “white saviours”, the only difference is skin colour. Lammy’s MO.

 

[Simster]

The issue for me is not Lammy's point (which I think is a fair one), it's how he's gone about highlighting it - there is no nod to the white do-gooder who is genuinely wanting to do the right thing. When Dooley pulled him up for his remarks, he justified it by saying it was nothing personal. Well actually, yes it was and perhaps Lammy should have prefixed his upcoming point on such a sensitive issue with the caveat that he in no way means to offend people who unlike him are actually trying to do some practical good.

 

[nicko31]

Dream article for the Daily Mail yesterday...

https://www.pressreader.com/uk/daily-mail/20190227/281556587116044

Poor old Stacey, you can't win these days. Everyone has become co cynical..