Every so often some Northern towns make their way onto the ‘worst places to live' lists.

These are normally made up of towns which have a high level of deprivation or those which are ethnically diverse.

The lists are then shared across networks and other sites. One of two things happen.

We have people who come out to defend their town and those who come to criticise it. It can become quite nasty with folk happy to disparage the very place they live in, whilst making no real effort to change it for the better. Yet, something else happens.

The most recent list from iLiveHere, predictably includes places like Huddersfield, Oldham, Luton, Bolton and Bradford in the top ten. Blackburn, if anyone wants to know, came in at 15th ahead of Accrington which was at 28th.

Of course people will say that there lists are just a bit of fun and they are all about ‘allowing’ people to vent their frustrations. We can’t possibly take them too seriously.

Yet, there is a pattern and one which always tends to rear its ugly head once these lists are shared.

Firstly, it gives people an excuse to criticise white working class neighbourhoods. They become ‘toilets’, ‘trashy’ and ‘dumps’. The communities that reside there are vilified for being ‘on benefits’ or causing the decline of the town.

Rather than look at why neighbourhoods have gone into despair we like to blame the residents themselves. We can all revel in the stereotypical views of the white working classes from the apparent ‘safety’ of our detached suburban homes.

Secondly, we have a steady stream of comments that look to berate the immigrant communities. Bradford is a perfect example. A city with a high Asian population, the majority of which are born and brought in the UK.

They, like other, Asian populations know no other home. But it wouldn’t seem like that when you begin to read the comments on social media.

The descendants of immigrants it seems are ‘indirectly’ responsible for the decline of the town or city. They may well be born here but they are not ‘truly British’. We can also throw in terms such as ‘grooming’ and ‘drug dealing’ to describe our predetermined views of these minority communities. For most of those living in these areas it we couldn't be further from the truth.

Many of these populations and descendants of immigrants have in many ways helped to rejuvenate inner city areas, through business, social projects and entrepreneurship.

But sharing this does not help to justify our own perceptions about specific people and the towns and cities in which they reside.