Intended for healthcare professionals

Views & Reviews From the Frontline

A sick society?

BMJ 2011; 343 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.d5253 (Published 17 August 2011) Cite this as: BMJ 2011;343:d5253
  1. Des Spence, general practitioner, Glasgow
  1. destwo{at}yahoo.co.uk

Of course, I am just another middle class commentator on the recent riots in London and other cities. In my defence, my father lives in Hackney, and I played football in London Fields as a kid. My nephews were schooled in Hackney. And as a child of a fallen middle class family, I know something of family break-up, benefits, free school dinners, and comprehensive schools. I have also worked in an inner city practice for 15 years. What caused the riots?

Few will accept that the rioters were motivated mainly by …

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