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Corruption problem among some UK minorities, says MP Corruption problem among some UK minorities, says MP
(about 5 hours later)
Attorney General Dominic Grieve has said politicians need to "wake up" to the problem of corruption in some minority communities. Attorney General Dominic Grieve has said politicians need to "wake up" to the issue of corruption in some minority communities.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Mr Grieve said he was referring mainly to "the Pakistani community". Mr Grieve told the Daily Telegraph it was not restricted to "any one community" but he was referring mainly to "the Pakistani community".
He said some people arrive in the UK from societies with a "favour culture" - but it must be made "absolutely clear" that is unacceptable in Britain. He said it must be made "absolutely clear" that a "favour culture" is unacceptable in Britain.
Mr Grieve said the problem was not restricted to "any one community". One Pakistan-born MP accused Mr Grieve of "dividing" communities.
He told the Telegraph he would be "wary of saying" it was just a Pakistani problem, and pointed out corruption was found in the "white Anglo-Saxon" community too. Mr Grieve told the Telegraph he would be "wary of saying" it was just a Pakistani problem, pointing out corruption was found in the "white Anglo-Saxon" community too.
But he said some immigrants come to Britain from countries where corruption is "endemic".But he said some immigrants come to Britain from countries where corruption is "endemic".
These are societies "where they have been brought up to believe you can only get certain things through a favour culture," he said.These are societies "where they have been brought up to believe you can only get certain things through a favour culture," he said.
"One of the things you have to make absolutely clear is that is not the case and it's not acceptable.""One of the things you have to make absolutely clear is that is not the case and it's not acceptable."
Mr Grieve, Conservative MP for Beaconsfield and the government's chief legal adviser, added: "It is something as politicians we have to wake up to."Mr Grieve, Conservative MP for Beaconsfield and the government's chief legal adviser, added: "It is something as politicians we have to wake up to."
'Divide and conquer'
In a statement to the BBC, he said integration of ethnic minorities in the UK had "delivered great benefits for all of us".In a statement to the BBC, he said integration of ethnic minorities in the UK had "delivered great benefits for all of us".
On the issue of corruption, he added: "I am absolutely clear that this problem is not attributable to any one community, as I know very well from my many years promoting community cohesion."On the issue of corruption, he added: "I am absolutely clear that this problem is not attributable to any one community, as I know very well from my many years promoting community cohesion."
But the Telegraph says when he was asked if he was referring to the Pakistani community, Mr Grieve said: "Yes, it's mainly the Pakistani community, not the Indian community."
Khalid Mahmood, a Labour MP who came to the UK from Pakistan as a child, said the attorney general was marking out the Pakistani community as "more corrupt" than other minority groups.
The MP for Birmingham Perry Barr told BBC Radio 5 live that Mr Grieve was trying to "divide and conquer" within communities.
Electoral fraudElectoral fraud
Mr Grieve's warning echoes comments made by Conservative peer Baroness Warsi in 2010.Mr Grieve's warning echoes comments made by Conservative peer Baroness Warsi in 2010.
She told the New Statesman magazine there were "at least three seats where we lost, where we didn't gain the seat, based on electoral fraud" and said the problems were "predominantly within the Asian community".She told the New Statesman magazine there were "at least three seats where we lost, where we didn't gain the seat, based on electoral fraud" and said the problems were "predominantly within the Asian community".
BBC political correspondent Ben Wright said electoral fraud was a "particular concern".BBC political correspondent Ben Wright said electoral fraud was a "particular concern".
He said the the issue of corruption in certain communities was "sensitive territory" for politicians, and that the attorney general was "careful to qualify" his comments by saying the problem was not restricted to one minority.He said the the issue of corruption in certain communities was "sensitive territory" for politicians, and that the attorney general was "careful to qualify" his comments by saying the problem was not restricted to one minority.
In his interview with the newspaper, Mr Grieve also said he was "very optimistic about the future of the UK".In his interview with the newspaper, Mr Grieve also said he was "very optimistic about the future of the UK".
"We have managed integration of minority communities better than most countries in Europe," he said."We have managed integration of minority communities better than most countries in Europe," he said.
But he warned the UK's infrastructure could be put under strain if large numbers of people from Romania and Bulgaria come to the country when immigration controls expire in January.But he warned the UK's infrastructure could be put under strain if large numbers of people from Romania and Bulgaria come to the country when immigration controls expire in January.