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| Sajid Javid: many immigrants in UK 'leading parallel lives' Sajid Javid: many immigrants in UK 'leading parallel lives' | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Sajid Javid has warned that people in Britain have been allowed for too long to lead “parallel lives” as politicians ducked the controversial issues of social integration for fear of being called racist. | Sajid Javid has warned that people in Britain have been allowed for too long to lead “parallel lives” as politicians ducked the controversial issues of social integration for fear of being called racist. |
| The communities secretary made the comments in response to Louise Casey’s review into community cohesion with findings that he said rang true to him personally. | The communities secretary made the comments in response to Louise Casey’s review into community cohesion with findings that he said rang true to him personally. |
| “I’ve seen for myself the enormous contribution that immigrants and their families make to British life, all without giving up their unique cultural identities,” he said. | “I’ve seen for myself the enormous contribution that immigrants and their families make to British life, all without giving up their unique cultural identities,” he said. |
| “But I’ve also seen, with my own eyes, the other side of the equation. For too long, too many people in this country have been living parallel lives, refusing to integrate, and failing to embrace the shared values that make Britain great.” | “But I’ve also seen, with my own eyes, the other side of the equation. For too long, too many people in this country have been living parallel lives, refusing to integrate, and failing to embrace the shared values that make Britain great.” |
| Casey’s report, which was ready to be published in the spring but was delayed by Downing Street for months, found that governments had failed for more than a decade to ensure that integration kept up with the “unprecedented pace and scale of immigration”. | Casey’s report, which was ready to be published in the spring but was delayed by Downing Street for months, found that governments had failed for more than a decade to ensure that integration kept up with the “unprecedented pace and scale of immigration”. |
| The study said ministerial attempts to boost integration of ethnic minorities amounted to little more than “saris, samosas and steel drums for the already well-intentioned”. | The study said ministerial attempts to boost integration of ethnic minorities amounted to little more than “saris, samosas and steel drums for the already well-intentioned”. |
| Casey also claimed that fears of being called racist prevented society from calling out sexism and misogyny in minority communities – triggering an angry response from some Muslim groups. | Casey also claimed that fears of being called racist prevented society from calling out sexism and misogyny in minority communities – triggering an angry response from some Muslim groups. |
| Javid defended Casey, arguing that MPs had a “moral responsibility” to face controversial questions in minority communities regardless of how uncomfortable that might be. | Javid defended Casey, arguing that MPs had a “moral responsibility” to face controversial questions in minority communities regardless of how uncomfortable that might be. |
| “I will not allow that to continue,” he said, promising a government response to the year-long review by spring. | “I will not allow that to continue,” he said, promising a government response to the year-long review by spring. |
| Javid was responding to an urgent question from the Labour chair of parliament’s communities select committee, Clive Betts, who admitted that the findings of the report were “challenging and some controversial”. He said the key conclusion was around the need for people to speak English. | Javid was responding to an urgent question from the Labour chair of parliament’s communities select committee, Clive Betts, who admitted that the findings of the report were “challenging and some controversial”. He said the key conclusion was around the need for people to speak English. |
| The shadow communities secretary, Teresa Pearce, agreed arguing: “You cannot speak out if you cannot speak English, if you cannot speak English you cannot even ring 999.” She called on the government to reverse the cuts to Esol (English for speakers of other languages) courses. | The shadow communities secretary, Teresa Pearce, agreed arguing: “You cannot speak out if you cannot speak English, if you cannot speak English you cannot even ring 999.” She called on the government to reverse the cuts to Esol (English for speakers of other languages) courses. |
| The MP agreed that issues had been ignored for too long because of fears around racist labels and said the “vacuum” had been exploited by far-right groups. | The MP agreed that issues had been ignored for too long because of fears around racist labels and said the “vacuum” had been exploited by far-right groups. |
| The Tory MP, Nusrat Ghani, echoed what she called a “soft-headed approach” to integration, calling for a serious response on faith schools, which she argued further isolated young people. | The Tory MP, Nusrat Ghani, echoed what she called a “soft-headed approach” to integration, calling for a serious response on faith schools, which she argued further isolated young people. |
| But other MPs were more critical of Casey’s findings. The Labour MP for Birmingham Ladywood, Shabana Mahmood, said: “I am concerned that there is no real understanding in this report of the simple truth that integration is a two-way street and it should definitely not be used, as it so often is, as a stick with which to beat the minority communities of Britain.” | But other MPs were more critical of Casey’s findings. The Labour MP for Birmingham Ladywood, Shabana Mahmood, said: “I am concerned that there is no real understanding in this report of the simple truth that integration is a two-way street and it should definitely not be used, as it so often is, as a stick with which to beat the minority communities of Britain.” |
| She argued that Casey had failed to try to understand the drivers of isolation. She urged Javid to consider those in his response “and alongside asking our minority communities to do more, to encourage our majority communities to play their part too so that integration can be truly a success for our country”. | She argued that Casey had failed to try to understand the drivers of isolation. She urged Javid to consider those in his response “and alongside asking our minority communities to do more, to encourage our majority communities to play their part too so that integration can be truly a success for our country”. |
| The report also triggered responses from Scottish and Welsh MPs, who suggested their constituents took a different approach to the subject. | The report also triggered responses from Scottish and Welsh MPs, who suggested their constituents took a different approach to the subject. |
| Liz Saville-Roberts, a Plaid Cymru politician, said she feared Javid’s words masked “little England identity politics”. | Liz Saville-Roberts, a Plaid Cymru politician, said she feared Javid’s words masked “little England identity politics”. |
| Alison Thewliss, the Scottish National party spokeswoman on communities, said the SNP had worked hard to make migrants feel welcome in Scotland in the face of negative media coverage. | Alison Thewliss, the Scottish National party spokeswoman on communities, said the SNP had worked hard to make migrants feel welcome in Scotland in the face of negative media coverage. |
| She was thankful to “political leadership” across the country from the SNP leader, Nicola Sturgeon, to Glasgow city council, which had put up a “banner proclaiming refugees welcome”. | She was thankful to “political leadership” across the country from the SNP leader, Nicola Sturgeon, to Glasgow city council, which had put up a “banner proclaiming refugees welcome”. |
| She accused the Conservative government of falling short. “Ending austerity is the best thing this government could do to tackle social exclusion and to promote integration,” she said, calling on Javid to “challenge the toxic rhetoric that pits groups against each other” and echoing Labour calls for a reversal of Esol cuts. | She accused the Conservative government of falling short. “Ending austerity is the best thing this government could do to tackle social exclusion and to promote integration,” she said, calling on Javid to “challenge the toxic rhetoric that pits groups against each other” and echoing Labour calls for a reversal of Esol cuts. |
| A less negative conversation was also encouraged by the arch-Brexiter Tory MP Peter Bone. | A less negative conversation was also encouraged by the arch-Brexiter Tory MP Peter Bone. |
| “I do think we could be a little more positive,” he said, pointing to his constituency of Wellingborough, where he said Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and Christians were well integrated across the community, which had temples, mosques and churches. | “I do think we could be a little more positive,” he said, pointing to his constituency of Wellingborough, where he said Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and Christians were well integrated across the community, which had temples, mosques and churches. |