Vinnie Jones claims immigration has made England unrecognisable and 'not the country I grew up in'
Actor and ex-footballer Vinnie Jones has said he would never return to England because immigration has transformed his former home into a unrecognisable country.
In an interview with The Radio Times, the Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels star said that England was “past its sell by date.”
Mr Jones added: “It’s not the country I grew up in. It’s a European country now. If someone blindfolded you and put you on a plane in LA, and you landed at Heathrow and they took it off, you wouldn’t have a clue where you were.”
The 48-year-old, who was born in Watford, said he wasn’t familiar with Ukip, but insisted “I just think we should get our own house in order before we open our doors. It’s mind-boggling to me.”
Mr Jones, who now lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two children, said he didn't even miss English foods, because he was able to import them.
“We can get all that in LA, though you sometimes have to pay through the roof for it. A bottle of Ribena is 14 dollars,” he said.
“But I get my Walkers crisps delivered once a month. I have a box of Roast Chicken, a box of Salt and Vinegar, and a box of Monster Munch... and there’s more Premier League football on TV there than there is here.”
When asked about about footballers rolling around in apparent agony following contact with another player, he replied: “Yeah, well, that rolling around, that's the foreign players.
"I said it all 15 years ago, that diving would creep in, and also that the England team would suffer, because none of these foreign managers would buy English players. It's all happening, just like I said it would."
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies