Yes, Prime Minister if you like it or not, Multiculturalism characterizes Britain in the 21st Century. It is very difficult to imagine the country without the migrants who have moved to ‘Great Britain’ and made huge contributions to all aspects of life and commerce.
As you probably know but dare not say that today ethnic minorities are more likely than white people to say they are British. Ask a Scot or Welsh person and hear their response. Don’t you think it is very naive as a Prime Minister of Britain to say that Multiculturalism has failed? I can try to understand the German Chancellor Mrs. Angela Merkel. She does come from a particular background and also recently made similar comments. The context of Germany as a country with a history of immigrants going back a few decades is a clear indication how far right that country has moved. The history of Britain in contrast is very different with migration from the Commonwealth that goes back to the days of the British Empire.
Senior ally of the Labour Party leader Ed Miliband, the Shadow Justice Secretary Sadiq Khan MP who branded David Cameron as a far-right ‘propagandist’ for criticising multiculturalism. He was left isolated by senior Labour Party colleagues yesterday. It is difficult not to agree with Sadiq Khan MP and actually I am not surprised by the lack of support from his own party. If it comes to winning the votes at the elections, all parties try to outdo each other by playing the race card, as we have seen this with the outrageous comments made by Jack Straw MP in light of the conviction of Asian men in Derby recently.
And again who are these people who do not integrate into the wider society they are referring to? In Merkel’s country they are the Turks and majority of them have a Muslim background. And David Cameron clearly targeted, in his speech, the extreme Islamic groups. Here again, it is a clear vision of the two leaders of the two countries who speak with one voice by clearly expressing themselves and adding fuel to the Islamaphobia fire burning so radiantly across the world since the terrorist attacks on the twin tower in 2001.
No surprise, that Tory Party Chairman Baroness Warsi has demanded an apology from Mr Khan over the ‘outrageous and irresponsible’ smear on her leader. Baroness Warsi should actually decide if she is going to use her background to collect votes within the party and outside or if she is going to be a Baroness like the rest in the House by keeping silent on issues connected to their background. She can’t make speeches which contradict her elevation as the Chairman of the Party. In fact the Prime Minister contradicts his own speech as his Party decided to appoint a woman of Muslim background as a Chairman; if multiculturalism has failed then why is it that she occupies that position and is sitting at the helm of the power table of leaders of Britain and is part of the decision making system.
There is lot to say about multiculturalism and how this was carefully inserted into the policies of migration. But this is a subject for another blog as multiculturalism has been replaced with other policies on diversity and has also been misused as we are well aware.
Observing this, is very interesting and also sad that two leading figures within the two main political parties with Muslim background are put forward to make comments on this sensitive subject. Each one is free to express their anger and which led one to attack the other. It echoes again of the oldest known game we all are conscious about-divide and rule anyone!
Copyright Semra Eren Nijhar – All rights reserved
Semra Eren-Nijhar 