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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/18/integration-about-far-more-than-speaking-english
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Focus on minorities speaking English misses wider points | Focus on minorities speaking English misses wider points |
| (3 months later) | |
| On BBC radio, I was asked if ethnic minorities were doing enough to get on and fit in. Not the first time I’ve been asked this question. But is anyone asking the caller if he’s faithful to his end of the bargain? In the Runnymede Trust’s new integration briefing we found that many white British residents are living in isolation from other ethnic groups. A contract works only if both parties sign it. | On BBC radio, I was asked if ethnic minorities were doing enough to get on and fit in. Not the first time I’ve been asked this question. But is anyone asking the caller if he’s faithful to his end of the bargain? In the Runnymede Trust’s new integration briefing we found that many white British residents are living in isolation from other ethnic groups. A contract works only if both parties sign it. |
| When the government launched its integration green paper, communities secretary Sajid Javid made it clear which side he felt had work to do. He promised to expand English language classes, claiming that 770,000 people can speak little or no English, most of them women from Pakistani or Bangladeshi communities. The actual number is closer to 138,000, many of them pensioners. Younger Britons of Bangladeshi and Pakistani heritage almost all speak English. So if he’s serious about bringing “divided communities together”, then why is he so focused on 0.3% of the population? And if the government is serious about increasing access to Englishlanguage lessons, why did it slash funding by £132m between 2010 and 2015? It is handing over only £50m to implement its entire integration strategy. | When the government launched its integration green paper, communities secretary Sajid Javid made it clear which side he felt had work to do. He promised to expand English language classes, claiming that 770,000 people can speak little or no English, most of them women from Pakistani or Bangladeshi communities. The actual number is closer to 138,000, many of them pensioners. Younger Britons of Bangladeshi and Pakistani heritage almost all speak English. So if he’s serious about bringing “divided communities together”, then why is he so focused on 0.3% of the population? And if the government is serious about increasing access to Englishlanguage lessons, why did it slash funding by £132m between 2010 and 2015? It is handing over only £50m to implement its entire integration strategy. |
| English language classes should be available for those who need them. But they need to be targeted at the right people and properly funded. The greatest number of people unable to speak English well are actually in the white “Other” group. And many people who say that they can’t speak English “very well” are being humble. I’ve met countless people who claim to be “rubbish” at English but are basically fluent. We need genuine policy solutions, not hyperbolic statements, false deadlines and patronising lectures. | English language classes should be available for those who need them. But they need to be targeted at the right people and properly funded. The greatest number of people unable to speak English well are actually in the white “Other” group. And many people who say that they can’t speak English “very well” are being humble. I’ve met countless people who claim to be “rubbish” at English but are basically fluent. We need genuine policy solutions, not hyperbolic statements, false deadlines and patronising lectures. |
| By focusing on Bangladeshi and Pakistani women, ministers risk stereotyping entire communities and stoking exaggerated cultural differences. The strategy promises more work on gender equality with “marginalised women” – a transparent pseudonym for Muslim women. Great news – but the Westminster harassment scandals, and Time’s Up and #MeToo movements showed us that no part of society is inoculated against sexism. The gender pay gap unveiled inequality in our institutions. | By focusing on Bangladeshi and Pakistani women, ministers risk stereotyping entire communities and stoking exaggerated cultural differences. The strategy promises more work on gender equality with “marginalised women” – a transparent pseudonym for Muslim women. Great news – but the Westminster harassment scandals, and Time’s Up and #MeToo movements showed us that no part of society is inoculated against sexism. The gender pay gap unveiled inequality in our institutions. |
| In our report, we show that surveys consistently find ethnic minorities feel strongly affiliated to Britain, and support tolerance, democracy and equality – all features of the British values agenda. The government should dedicate its policies to stamping out sexism and inequality everywhere and not focus on specific communities. | In our report, we show that surveys consistently find ethnic minorities feel strongly affiliated to Britain, and support tolerance, democracy and equality – all features of the British values agenda. The government should dedicate its policies to stamping out sexism and inequality everywhere and not focus on specific communities. |
| One of the biggest differences between BME people and white British people isn’t culture – it’s rates of voter registration. Black African people are four times less likely to be registered to vote. For every one case of voter fraud, more than 10,000 BME people are not registered. The government should scrap its unnecessary voter ID trials and use those resources to make our democracy representative. A voter registration drive that targets those on low incomes, Commonwealth and Pakistani citizens and BME communities is needed. Obsessing over the values we already share, instead of the real issues fracturing our country, wastes the precious little residue of time Brexit leaves policymakers. | One of the biggest differences between BME people and white British people isn’t culture – it’s rates of voter registration. Black African people are four times less likely to be registered to vote. For every one case of voter fraud, more than 10,000 BME people are not registered. The government should scrap its unnecessary voter ID trials and use those resources to make our democracy representative. A voter registration drive that targets those on low incomes, Commonwealth and Pakistani citizens and BME communities is needed. Obsessing over the values we already share, instead of the real issues fracturing our country, wastes the precious little residue of time Brexit leaves policymakers. |
| That time should be dedicated to making equality in the workplace a reality. We mustn’t forget that more than half a million BME people are missing from the workforce. We’re glad that the government has shown leadership with its Race Disparity Audit and is looking at inequality in the job market. At work, we have to achieve goals collectively with all sorts of people. Many of us spend most of our week there. If integration and socialmixing is going to happen anywhere, it’s at work. | That time should be dedicated to making equality in the workplace a reality. We mustn’t forget that more than half a million BME people are missing from the workforce. We’re glad that the government has shown leadership with its Race Disparity Audit and is looking at inequality in the job market. At work, we have to achieve goals collectively with all sorts of people. Many of us spend most of our week there. If integration and socialmixing is going to happen anywhere, it’s at work. |
| To achieve equality in the job market we’ll need to stamp out racism and discrimination. Racism isn’t just something people keep in their heads. It has real consequences in the workplace. Our work with the National Centre for Social Research found 44% of those surveyed believed that “some races are born harder working than others”. If you believe this – who would you hire for a job? This shouldn’t be a surprise to us. The anonymous troll that emailed me after I appeared on BBC News to say: “kimberly ‘hood bitch’ mcintosh to go back to zoo. her narcist monkey face makes me to puke. ugly n*****”, may well be responsible for hiring and firing people. It’s little surprise that a CV with an English-sounding name received three times as many interviews than the applicant with a Muslim-sounding one. | To achieve equality in the job market we’ll need to stamp out racism and discrimination. Racism isn’t just something people keep in their heads. It has real consequences in the workplace. Our work with the National Centre for Social Research found 44% of those surveyed believed that “some races are born harder working than others”. If you believe this – who would you hire for a job? This shouldn’t be a surprise to us. The anonymous troll that emailed me after I appeared on BBC News to say: “kimberly ‘hood bitch’ mcintosh to go back to zoo. her narcist monkey face makes me to puke. ugly n*****”, may well be responsible for hiring and firing people. It’s little surprise that a CV with an English-sounding name received three times as many interviews than the applicant with a Muslim-sounding one. |
| I have never questioned my place in British society until other people have. I’ll never forget a teacher telling me on a primary school trip that I was “Jamaican” and not “British” – even though I was born in Reading. We need a society that makes space for the reality of people’s differences without overstating them. Yes – being able to speak English is vital, but we need not overstate the scale of the issue. | I have never questioned my place in British society until other people have. I’ll never forget a teacher telling me on a primary school trip that I was “Jamaican” and not “British” – even though I was born in Reading. We need a society that makes space for the reality of people’s differences without overstating them. Yes – being able to speak English is vital, but we need not overstate the scale of the issue. |
| If the government is serious about creating a cohesive society, we need a strategy that focuses on everyone’s rights, and everyone’s responsibility to make it work. | If the government is serious about creating a cohesive society, we need a strategy that focuses on everyone’s rights, and everyone’s responsibility to make it work. |
| Kimberly McIntosh is the Runnymede Trust’s policy officer | Kimberly McIntosh is the Runnymede Trust’s policy officer |
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| Sajid Javid | Sajid Javid |
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| Race | Race |
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