Mocking regional accents 'last form of acceptable discrimination,' MPs argue in Parliament

Labour MP Ian Lavery has said ridiculing strong regional accents is the last acceptable form of discrimination in the UK, as MPs debated accent bias and social mobility.

• Labour MP Jo Platt led a Westminster Hall debate on regional accents and social mobility, describing pressure on people to change how they speak to progress in life.
• Ian Lavery, Labour MP for Blyth and Ashington, said many people are forced to choose between maintaining their accent or ditching it to move on in life.
• Cat Eccles, Labour MP for Stourbridge, said Black Country accents are frequently mocked and judged as lacking sophistication, despite being historically well-preserved.
• Marie Goldman, Liberal Democrat MP for Chelmsford, said teachers told her to tone down her West Country accent for Bible readings, and she later corrected her accent after mockery.