Skinhead Escapes

I’ve just re-read Skinhead Escapes by Richard Allen (the follow-up to Skinhead) and in my opinion the book would be better if upgraded to the 21st century.

Joe Hawkins needs to be more Woke in attitude. He clearly cares deeply about social issues and, as such, I think it would be more realistic if Joe were to ‘take the knee’ before p*ki-bashing. When starting any new prison term, the writer could have him thinking, ‘Oh, I must get to know that BAME person over there.’

He’d clearly support Black Lives Matter and their campaign to defund the police and the prison system, all of which would make it easier for him to rob dolly birds and to escape from prison next time he’s incarcerated.

A Woke Joe, keeping a close eye on simmering tensions between the police and the criminal underworld, would believe that social problems are better addressed through social responses that prevent people from experiencing violence and harm in the first place.

He would protest social injustice but would also accuse all men of being potential rapists, thus diverting attention away from himself whenever he rapes a dolly bird.

If the book were updated, we’d see Joe gaily taking his place on a Pride march, only robbing corporations that refuse to sponsor LGBTQ Pride Month. His ‘gang’ would consist of several trans folk who identify as car exhausts or fields or kebabs or whatever. And he’d certainly counter-protest those dastardly ‘far-right’ thugs demonstrating outside migrant hotels; fascists and Nazis all of them who begrudge their tax pennies going towards people who’ve entered the country illegally after passing through 15 safe countries.

Why shouldn’t we spend pensioners money ensuring criminals have free accommodation, free dental treatment, free access to English Heritage sites and Jobseekers Allowance (even if they’re never going to actually seek a job)?

Joe, I’m sure, would be the first to carry a ‘Migrants Welcome Here’ or ‘Stand up to Racism’ placard.

And I can obviously see the modern Joe Hawkins giving up his Saturday afternoons at West Ham in favour of attending a few Just Stop Oil or Free Palestine marches.

Needs a complete re-write, and for that reason, with regret, it’s a No from me