Statement from Phil Woolas MP on who ‘is British’
I recently posted a letter to Paul Dacre, editor of the Daily Mail, in response to an article that suggested British-born descendants of immigrants shouldn’t classify themselves as ‘British’. I asked immigration minister Phil Woolas if he had any comment and received this:
Dear Sunder
Most people believe that it is the Government who have released these figures in this way. In fact, it was the ONS with no Ministerial involvement and indeed despite my objections. What’s worse is that the press release which ran to nine pages highlighted the 1 in 9 figure as the main finding. So, Government gets the blame by some for whipping up anti-foreign sentiment when it is the independent ONS who are playing politics. The justification from the ONS who had, out of schedule, highlighted the figure two weeks earlier because it was “topical” is, at best, naive or, at worst, sinister.
The fact that 1 in 9 people who are in Britain (for over a year) were born overseas is neither new nor informative. It includes around 370,000 undergraduates who will not stay in this country as well as those British nationals born overseas including around a quarter of a million born to our armed forces personnel serving overseas. The figure of twelve months is arbitrary. Surely the distinction between temporary residence and Indefinite Leave to Remain and full citizenship is more useful in framing a mature debate.
There are times in our history when the numbers of residents born overseas was higher than 1 in 9. Robert Winder’s brilliant history of migration estimates that at the time of the Huguenot migration the figure could have been as high as one in three.
The whole issue highlights the toxic nature of this debate.
Phil Woolas MP
Immigration Minister
Distorting St George’s day
To the dismay of the hysterical anti-PC brigade in Sandwell, the local council has cancelled funding for a St. George’s Day parade. Suddenly a cause celebre, the issue is discussed on Stormfront, and has become part of a campaign by nationalist nutjobs, the English Democrats.
This news has been picked up by our own Bob Piper and has received stinging rebuke from Tory Harry Phibbs of Conservative Home. One wonders if Councillor Phibbs knows what sort of company he is keeping on the issue. He should do, if he reads his own comment box.
It has always seemed something of an irony that the imagery adopted by parts of the far right in the UK has been of a mythical individual, a foreigner, who never visited England.
continue reading… »
Church of England: No BNP here
Church of England clergy will shortly be forbidden from joining the fascist BNP. Yesterday, the General Synod voted by an overwhelming majority of 322 to 13 for the CoE to become like the prison service or the police in proscribing membership.
It’s a good idea, since it prevents the BNP from using the name of the Church of England at any meetings or six-person rallies they might hold, but it rather misses the point.
Geert Wilders and the search for identity
I’ve written an article, in the Times today, on the good that came out of the Salman Rushdie / Satanic Verses controversy 20 years ago. There’s two additional points I want to make.
The controversy, its aftermath, and the controversies around race and religion that have since followed, are essentially about a search for identity. What I love about Britain is that despite the attempts of racists such as Melanie Phillips, we haven’t been tempted into the authoritarianism and myopia that is prevalent across Europe towards minorities. This search for identity isn’t going go away yet because we still haven’t found the right language to describe ourselves. Simply hoping that everyone will call themselves ‘British’ and that will be the end of that is naive thinking. Life is more complicated, richer and diverse than that for many people across this country. So why put them into label straight-jackets?
Secondly, I find the hysteria surrounding Geert Wilders’ ban as quite hypocritical. The list of people previously banned from coming into the UK include ‘Bounty Killer’, rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg, Louis Farrakhan (Nation of Islam) and Yusuf al-Qaradawi. Would Melanie Phillips or Douglas Murray stand up for the rights of Farrakhan to speak? I doubt it – he’s black.
Douglas Murray makes various unsourced assertions. First, there’s no evidence that a mass protest was planned. Lord Ahmed has denied claims that first surfaced on a right-wing blog. But then Murray needs to push the ‘Angry Muslim Man’ stereotype I guess. Secondly, and this really illustrates how poor his research is, Murray claims: “Wilders attacks Islam, not Muslims.” He forgets that Wilders wants:
the ‘fascist Koran’ outlawed in Holland, the constitution rewritten to make that possible, all immigration from Muslim countries halted, Muslim immigrants paid to leave and all Muslim ‘criminals’ stripped of Dutch citizenship and deported ‘back where they came from’.
Quite the liberal chap isn’t he? It comes as no surprise that Douglas Murray is dishonestly defending someone who echoes the BNP’s policies. What’s more amusing to watch is how confused and hypocritical right-wingers are over such controversies. They want free speech until nasty Muslims say nasty things.
Creeping anti-semitism
A senior British diplomat has been arrested for an anti-semitic rant (via Sid):
The diplomat, 47-year-old Rowan Laxton, allegedly shouted “f***ing Israelis, f***ing Jews” while watching television reports of the Israeli attack on Gaza last month.
He is also alleged to have said that Israeli soldiers should be “wiped off the face of the Earth” during the rant at the London Business School gym near Regents Park on January 27
Disgusting, obviously, and if found guilty then I think he should have no place in the Foreign Office. There’s two points to be made here.
First, I wonder if right-wingers will rush out to condemn the ‘politically correct police’ and defend this idiot’s racist rants. Secondly, there is a opportunity here to convict him under the Race Relations Act and I think it should be pursued.
continue reading… »
Medusa’s daughter and the golliwog
In the league table of personal insults, calling someone a ‘golliwog’ ranks about on a par with calling them a ‘muppet’. Even as a racial insult, it’s not quite the sort of epithet that you hear bandied about at BNP meetings (though they do sell golliwogs in BNP t-shirts at some of those meetings, apparently).
Nevertheless, if Carole Thatcher had said it on air, I don’t suppose there would have been much disagreement about her being taken off air as a result. Nor do I think there can be much disagreement with The One Show presenter Adrian Chiles, Jo Brand and others for picking up Medusa’s Daughter over her use of the word during an after-show conversation in which she blabbed out her ‘off-the-cuff remark made in jest’ to describe a tennis player in the Australian open.
(Why the widespread coyness, by the way, in naming the tennis player concerned? I couldn’t find one mainstream news outlet prepared to say that Thatcher was talking about French player Gael Monfils. Didn’t any of them think it might have been instructive to get his opinion on the subject?).
I don’t think it suggests any degree of sympathy for the use of racially-based epithets, however, to feel that the reaction to Thatcher’s foot-in-mouth has been just a little OTT. When the Beeb doesn’t have the bollocks to broadcast a DEC appeal for Gaza, it feels a mite disproportionate to start acting all macho over an ex-prime minister’s gobby offspring.
The “Italians” on wildcat strikes
“If the Brits kick us out, we’ll do the same to their workers here”
As I translated this article from the Italian daily la Repubblica, I discovered that about one hundred Brits are currently working on a regasifier on an oil rig in the Northern Adriatic. This is the stuff the Daily Mail & chums conveniently don’t tell you about.
continue reading… »
An EDM to support striking workers
Jon Cruddas MP has tabled an Early Day Motion as follows:
That this House notes that global companies based in Europe are free under EU law to tender for British building and service contracts and to hire their own direct labour force; further notes that such posted workers in the UK have to be paid only the statutory minimum wage, which has the effect of undermining union negotiated collective agreements which are not recognised as `universally applicable’ in the UK;
So much for racism and the BNP at Lindsey
Fantastic news, which I’ve only picked up this morning via the comments section of Phil’s A Very Public Sociologist site. The BNP, whose website is spouting a lot of crap about how their councillors are being called in, in preference to the union of the wildcat strikers, were actually turned away from the picket lines. The video below gives more information.
Now that’s how to institute a no-platform policy: from below.
continue reading… »
British jobs for British workers, in practice
A few weeks ago, Chris Dillow warned of some of the nasty social side-effects of the recession. He noted that “the main effect of recession is not to cause poverty, but insecurity. And when people are insecure and anxious, they care less for others.” In short, fear makes us all more selfish.
On one level, what’s transpired in Immingham over the last few days has been the opposite of that stark prediction.
The unofficial walk-out by employees at an oil refinery – protesting their company’s decision to employ foreign labour – was an act of solidarity, not selfishness.
continue reading… »
What we need is a leap of faith
This discussion about a ‘British Barack Obama’ has been so overdone even I’m getting tired of it despite having politically obsessed about him for over two years. But there are two points I’d like to make.
I don’t entirely buy Unity’s reasons for why there won’t be a British Obama, neither am I persuaded by Sunder and Sadiq’s emphasis on current representation and stats. On that, I’d like to see a more dispassionate analysis like this on 538. I’m a bit more more influenced by the work I did out there on the campaign.
Obama’s narrative was that America is the land where any dreams are possible and he was the culmination of that dream. He needed them to believe in three things: that he was capable for the job, that America could elect a black man (important during the primaries) and most importantly that they could make that change happen. These were leaps of faiths that were explicitly tied to the ongoing myth-making that is The American Dream.
continue reading… »
Who cares about the white working class?
For a good decade, ‘class’ was something of a swear word in British politics, almost taboo. The government seldom talked about class, preferring terms such as ‘hardworking families’ and ’social exclusion’.
Some commentators argued that this was part of a broader strategy to woo middle-class voters and occupy the political centre, which has come at the cost of alienating core working-class voters.
However, if a small, but significant, number of statements made recently by senior Labour politicians are anything to go by, the Labour Party is taking heed of this loss of support, and their tone might be changing as a result.
continue reading… »
Why Britain needs a new politics of race too
Four million Americans descend on Washington today, inspired by Barack Obama’s call for progressive change. Many want to see history made: the inauguration of the first black President of the United States. Then President Obama can get on with the real job of being America’s 44th President, to be judged on his economic stimulus, healthcare push and willingness to engage on climate change and Middle East peace.
But Obama can never quite be a politician who just happens to be black. He is a transitional figure in the way we talk about race. Most of the armchair theorising has been proved wrong: was Obama ‘not black enough’ to be credible with African-Americans, or too black to win blue collar votes? Could he identify as black at all when he is also mixed race? The next black Presidential candidate will face less of this nonsense, because America has thought out loud about its confusions over race.
Can we have a ‘British Obama’? Yes, we can.
continue reading… »
What century do our monarchs live in?
The last few days have pushed me firmly into the open arms of campaign group Republic. First it was Harry’s ‘paki-gate’ and now its Prince Charles and ’sooty-gate’. As I’m already bored of talking about this faux-controversy, but keep getting asked about it, I’ll keep this short.
If two friends are joking around with each other and use names for each other that may have racial connotations, frankly its no one else’s business. But words have connotations, regardless of what idiot libertarians may like to pretend. So if someone unknown called me a paki or a raghead (which especially makes my turban-wearing brother see red), then they should expect a swift punch in the face. That’s not political correctness, that’s just me.
Are Harry and Charles racist? Who knows, that’s for their friends to decide. But what does irk me is that both seem to think words like ‘raghead’ and ’sooty’ are even jokey words. In the last century maybe, but who still uses those stupid terms anymore? It’s a silly controversy, but what I do like about them is the opportunity to keep drawing the boundary lines of polite behaviour. Just because some think ‘Paki’ is just shorthand for Pakistani and has no negative connotations here, doesn’t mean I’m obliged to accept their version of history. Nuff said.
Hazel Blears getting the smaller picture
If there is one thing I detest when it comes to TV it is adverts that make spurious claims about a product based upon the dismal opinion of less than a handful of only one demographic; also usually people that at the same time are reading a magazine or buying at a store that has a heavy advertising deal with said product. Be it hair products where 93% of 140ish people surveyed in Marie Claire said it was definitely the most awesome hair care product (that they received a free trial of with the magazine), or butter that less than 50% of people say they preferred (yet the loop hole of those 7% of people that “don’t care” allows the brand to claim “most” people like them best).
So then, with that lengthy precursor to the article, perhaps you can understand why Hazel Blears and her team of community action planners have so frustrated me this week, publishing a report about the attitudes of white working class people in the UK. Well, I say published but the master of making information accessible to the public has yet to even ensure that even the news is reported on the communities.gov.uk website (as of Midday, 5th Jan), let alone the actual report, methodology and findings.
What we know from various newspaper articles is that an astounding 43 people were asked their opinion across various locations in the UK for their opinion on…well…we don’t exactly know, but it mostly seemed to revolve around immigration. Again. continue reading… »
Damn lies and statistics!
Today I discovered that I am a migrant! Who knew?
Did North London secede overnight whilst I wasn’t watching? (Again?) No, but since all the new jobs in Britain have gone to migrants since 2001, I must logically be one – three times over, in fact. Alan Green, Field and Soames’ ‘Balanced Migration’ campaign is scantily concealed racism doing a desperate recession striptease to garner the ’send em home’ vote with little regard for minor fripperies such as actual facts. As anyone giving the plans a cursory glance can tell. However, the distortion of its already distorted statistics by the right-wing press takes the cake.
The logical step at this point, being a patriotic soul, would be to follow general advice and ‘go back where I came from’. Perhaps Ms Neeson and Mr Desmond, the Daily Star proprietors, could even pay for me? Islington is only ten minutes away on the bus, and I could visit a selection of its many fine coffee-houses with change for a tenner.
Are you a migrant, too? Take the frothing racist lies test to find out!
Update: Phillippe LeGrain has shred apart MW’s stats.
Having fun with the BNP list
Image courtesy of LOLgriffin.
A lot of people have been having fun with the leaked BNP list.
1) How many fascists live locally? Do a postcode search.
2) BNP near me? This map offers a rough guide.
3) There is a heat map here, which was previously a Google Map with dots.
4) Guardian.co.uk has a half-interactive heat map.
5) More LOLgriffins on this blog (h/t David T)
Update: Daily Mash – BNP Not Just Policemen, Reveals Secret List
Richard Barnbrook and a joint conspiracy of silence
You may not have noticed, but Richard Barnbrook is now the country’s most electorally successful Nazi politician. I say you may not have noticed, because as far as the press is concerned he no longer seems to exist.
There was a minor outrage after he was elected and an even more minor outrage when he was allowed a blog on the Telegraph Website (clue: everybody is).
But since May there has been nothing, zero, zilch. Type his name into a Google News and you will get very little in return. But in the alternate universe that is the BNP blogosphere, Barnbrook is the stuff of legend. I mean literally. Take this story which has been doing the rounds over there for some weeks:
continue reading… »
The audacity of hate
WASHINGTON (AP) – Federal agents have broken up a plot to assassinate Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and shoot or decapitate 102 black people in a Tennessee murder spree, the ATF said Monday.
After we’ve gotten over the horror that comes from reading it for the first time, we would do well to remember that this is fantastic news. This isn’t the first time someone has plotted to rob us of Senator Obama’s life, nor will it be the last, and the security services are owed a tremendous debt gratitude for their commitment, skill and bravery in breaking these plots before they break America.
But a plot uncovered is still a plot that’s failed, and when you remember that there’s only a smattering of psychopaths who’d dream of committing such a crime, and even fewer who would act on it, I think it’s fair to say that the cause of violent white supremacy has been dealt a heavy blow.
Unions and fascists – show your support
Aside from that peerage for Peter Mandleson, this is one of the more irritating things to happen in the House of Lords for quite a while. Back in 2002 the rail union ASLEF was taken to court by one of its members after he was expelled for being a member of the BNP. He won, and so several years later ASLEF took the case all the way to the European Court of Human Rights and argued that the decision breached article 11 of the European Convention, which states:
“Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and to freedom of association with others, including the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.”
The court ruled in ASLEF’s favour by insisting that just as individuals have a right to choose whether or not to join a trade union, so trade unions have the right to choose their members.
continue reading… »
You can read articles through the front page, via Twitter or rss feeds.
» How bad is the feline obesity crisis?
» Why don’t MPs pay back tuition fees instead of increasing ours?
» Obama is right to slam BP – and why capitalists should too
» Why does Phillip Blond see civic cohesion as a security issue?
» So what if the Labour candidates went to Oxbridge?
» Last night’s Labour hustings: will it get interesting or turn to torture?
» It’s now down to Ken to win London for Labour
» The Labour people need
» Blog Nation: what would you like to see discussed?
» The Labour leadership’s token contender.. and it’s not Diane Abbott
» In defence of these fraternal nominations
|
66 Comments 20 Comments 13 Comments 10 Comments 18 Comments 4 Comments 25 Comments 49 Comments 31 Comments 16 Comments |
|
LATEST COMMENTS » damon posted on Complete tits » Sunny Hundal posted on Complete tits » Lee Griffin posted on The Labour leadership's token contender.. and it's not Diane Abbott » dan posted on Defend the urban fox! » Richard W posted on Boris rise for Living Wage left of Labour » Julian Swainson posted on How many cabinet MPs went to private schools? » sally posted on Complete tits » Joanne Dunn posted on How many cabinet MPs went to private schools? » Lovely Lynnette Peck posted on How many cabinet MPs went to private schools? » Nick posted on Why don't MPs pay back tuition fees instead of increasing ours? » Bob B posted on Complete tits » Nick posted on Complete tits » Mike Killingworth posted on Complete tits » Mr S. Pill posted on Complete tits » Nick Cohen is a Tory posted on Complete tits |
