How should we approach communities in the light of the murders in France?
There is an excellent article on Conservative Home today here which contrasts the somewhat inflammatory comments made by Nigel Farage in response to the Charlie Hebdo murders in France, with the approach taken by the Conservatives in general and Culture Secretary Sajid Javid M.P. in particular.
The article was written by former MP Paul Goodman, and here are some extracts:
"Most people would accept that it is desirable for British Muslims to oppose Al Qaeda and ISIS terror (which they do, in overwhelming measure) and to reject the replacement of British law with pre-modern law (which they do, though in less overwhelming measure) than not. As the saying goes, they believe that Muslim hearts and minds must be won if both struggles are to be won.
"When Farage also says that there is grooming of white girls by Muslim men, he is right – though most grooming of girls, white or otherwise, is not carried out by Muslim men.
"When he says that governments have turned a blind eye to hate preachers, he is right – though this one is much tougher than its Labour predecessor: Abu Hamza is in an American jail; Abu Qatada has been deported; Zakir Naik was banned from Britain."
The article goes on to point out that although there are areas of unhealthy concentrations of people who do not integrate, but adds that
"the Government has toughened up English language requirements and introduced the minimum earnings requirement."
Paul Goodman then points out that it is not clear what Farage would do about those areas were he Prime Minister. He asks
"Would he go door to door asking Muslim families to move out? Would a UKIP Government bus non-Muslim families in? Would it also bus Muslim ones out? Would there be a transfer of citizens from Shamley Green and Little Gidding to Beeston or Sparkbrook, and vice-versa?"
As he explains
"This is the main point. It goes almost without saying that Farage’s approach is less likely to win support among Muslim voters than Javid’s"
and
"the most important question of all for voters is: who is most likely to deliver?"
On the issues Farage highlights, the coalition has done a considerable amount of work and is not simply ignoring the problems. and on UKIP's competence to govern, he concludes
"For heaven’s sake, its leader has disowned its entire 2010 manifesto as “drivel”. This is all great fun for a protest party. It is not to be confused with grown-up government."
The article was written by former MP Paul Goodman, and here are some extracts:
"Nigel Farage says that some British Muslims are a “fifth column”.
"Sajid Javid is more diplomatic. He believes that there is “a special burden on Muslim communities”.
"Whose approach is likely to be more successful in preventing terror and extremism? Whose is better?
"Most people would accept that it is desirable for British Muslims to oppose Al Qaeda and ISIS terror (which they do, in overwhelming measure) and to reject the replacement of British law with pre-modern law (which they do, though in less overwhelming measure) than not. As the saying goes, they believe that Muslim hearts and minds must be won if both struggles are to be won.
"When Farage also says that there is grooming of white girls by Muslim men, he is right – though most grooming of girls, white or otherwise, is not carried out by Muslim men.
"When he says that governments have turned a blind eye to hate preachers, he is right – though this one is much tougher than its Labour predecessor: Abu Hamza is in an American jail; Abu Qatada has been deported; Zakir Naik was banned from Britain."
The article goes on to point out that although there are areas of unhealthy concentrations of people who do not integrate, but adds that
"the Government has toughened up English language requirements and introduced the minimum earnings requirement."
Paul Goodman then points out that it is not clear what Farage would do about those areas were he Prime Minister. He asks
"Would he go door to door asking Muslim families to move out? Would a UKIP Government bus non-Muslim families in? Would it also bus Muslim ones out? Would there be a transfer of citizens from Shamley Green and Little Gidding to Beeston or Sparkbrook, and vice-versa?"
As he explains
"This is the main point. It goes almost without saying that Farage’s approach is less likely to win support among Muslim voters than Javid’s"
and
"the most important question of all for voters is: who is most likely to deliver?"
On the issues Farage highlights, the coalition has done a considerable amount of work and is not simply ignoring the problems. and on UKIP's competence to govern, he concludes
"For heaven’s sake, its leader has disowned its entire 2010 manifesto as “drivel”. This is all great fun for a protest party. It is not to be confused with grown-up government."
Comments