Jeremy Clarkson whipped up a digital dust‑up by declaring that benefit claimants should send weekly thank‑you notes to taxpayers, because apparently even his dogs manage better manners.
He kicked off a full‑blown fury by bragging that his dogs “always show their appreciation” and then proposing a weekly national lottery of taxpayers’ email addresses so benefit claimants can send thank‑you notes like some government‑mandated gratitude mail‑out.
He suggested they should be made to send a heartfelt message of thanks before receiving their next payment.
Clarkson wrote: “I want fulsomeness. I want to hear what they’ve done with the £194 I gave them that week. And I want effusiveness as well. I want to feel their gratitude.”
The TV star said recipients should explain how the money had helped them, joking he wanted to receive messages saying: “It is SO kind of you to go to work every day so that I don’t have to.”
He also suggested that some people might well decide that getting a job was preferable to writing lengthy thank‑you letters every week, and the way he said it carried that dry, eyebrow‑raised tone that made the whole room smirk.
In his view, the sheer labour of constant gratitude — the careful phrasing, the polite flourishes, the endless obligation to appear appreciative — could start to feel more exhausting than honest employment.
It was a jab at the sort of social circles where niceties become a full‑time occupation, and you could almost picture someone throwing down their fountain pen, marching out the door, and announcing they’d rather stack shelves than compose another overwrought note of thanks.
However, his remarks provoked significant public anger online, with many accusing him of displaying insensitivity toward individuals who depend on state benefits.
One person wrote: “What an evil bloke! There were nights when we couldn’t even afford to eat, never mind have a TV.”
“Another commenter wrote: ‘The level of hostility directed at sick or low‑income individuals in this country is astonishing. The government already exerts substantial pressure on people to return to work, even when they are medically unfit to do so.“
They added: “The idea that there is mass fraud is disproved again and again. What’s the desired alternative? Let them die?”
A third said: “This is out of touch. Most people on benefits want to work. I am a high-skilled worker; the company I worked for went under.
“With the state of the job market, it took five months to find work. I applied for hundreds of jobs, every waking hour, desperate to work. It was crushing.” But others said it was a “good idea” and “might encourage people to find work”.
Jeremy Clarkson has a habit of saying things so unpleasant they practically come with a warning label.
He behaves like a big kid who’s just discovered the ‘on’ switch for all his favourite toys — and he’s absolutely thrilled with himself.
All that fame’s puffed him up so much he’s practically floating — someone ought to tie him down before he drifts off.
THE MONTHLY MOSQUITO 