In the United Kingdom, there has been a significant shift towards embracing diversity, with 72% of Britons seeing it as part of British culture and three-quarters being comfortable with mixed-race relationships. However, despite this progress, racism still persists in various aspects of society, including the labour market and policing. The concept of Britain as a "community of communities," promoted by multicultural policies, has, in some cases, reinforced communal divisions and exacerbated social tensions.
Controversial incidents, such as the Batley school row and protests against inclusive sex and relationship education lessons, highlight how social frictions can escalate into communal conflicts within this multicultural framework. Multicultural policies often treat minority communities as homogenous entities, with certain individuals or institutions acting as "gatekeepers" who define what is acceptable to say about a particular community, often silencing marginalised voices.
Additionally, places like Leicester have seen clashes between different communities, such as Hindus and Muslims, further revealing the complexities and challenges of multiculturalism.
Furthermore, the meaning of multiculturalism has been exploited by the right, leading to hostility towards immigration and diversity itself. While right-wing critics decry tribalism and identity politics, they sometimes perpetuate social divisions. It is essential to distinguish between valid critiques of multicultural policies and attempts to rebrand racism.
True diversity entails embracing the messy complexity of the world, allowing for engagement with different values, beliefs, and lifestyles, leading to a richer understanding of the world. Multiculturalism, as a political process that categorises and polices boundaries, can undermine the genuine benefits of diversity as a lived experience. Thus, it is crucial to critically evaluate multicultural policies without overlooking the problems they can pose.
UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman was born in Harrow, Greater London, and raised in Wembley. She is the daughter of Uma (née Mootien-Pillay) and Christie Fernandes, both of Indian origin, who immigrated to Britain in the 1960s from Mauritius and Kenya respectively. Perhaps forgetting her roots for a while, Braverman recently criticised multiculturalism, stating that it has not succeeded in Europe and poses a threat to social cohesion. During a speech at an event hosted by the American Enterprise Institute, a centre-right think tank in Washington, the UK Home Secretary criticised what she referred to as the "misguided dogma of multiculturalism." She has also raised questions about the relevance of the United Nations' 1951 Refugee Convention, which was established after World War Two, in today's modern age. This is not the first time she has voiced her opinion. Braverman has previously discussed the idea of training UK residents for roles like lorry drivers, fruit pickers, and butchers to reduce reliance on foreign workers. She argued that this approach has enabled individuals to enter the UK with the intention of "undermining stability and posing a threat to societal security."
"Multiculturalism makes no demands of the incomer to integrate. It has failed because it allowed people to come to our society and live parallel lives in it. They could be in the society but not of the society. If cultural change is too rapid and too big, then what was already there is diluted," she said in her speech and argued that global leaders were hesitant to implement human rights reforms due to the fear of being labelled as "racist or illiberal." Braverman’s speech faced criticism from the United Nations’s refugee agency, as she refused to rule out the possibility of the UK withdrawing from a global refugee charter if it remained unreformed. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) challenged her speech, asserting that reform was unnecessary.
Rishi Sunak commends UK’s vibrant multicultural democracy
In contrast to Braverman’s approach, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has commended the United Kingdom's vibrant multicultural democracy. He expressed his belief that the UK represents an incredible multicultural democracy. He stated, “I think that this country is an incredible multicultural democracy”.
Braverman specifically highlighted Leicester as an example of the alleged consequences of failed multiculturalism. Her comments were rebuked by Leicester's mayor, Sir Peter Soulsby, local MPs, and dignitaries, who accused her of ignorance and malice. Sunak also praised Leicester as a shining example of the country's diversity.
Senior members of the Conservative Party, on the other hand, accused Braverman of "stoking hatred" towards LGBTQ+ individuals and foreigners with her speech. Sir Bob Neill, the Conservative chairman of the justice committee, criticised her "alarmist rhetoric" as politically unwise and cautioned that it could hinder efforts to address the small boats crisis. A former Tory cabinet minister argued that her "inflammatory language" was detrimental to the UK's reputation and could potentially cost the party votes in the next election.
Additionally, reports have emerged indicating that the Home Secretary declined multiple invitations to meet with Archbishop Justin Welby, who expressed concerns about her immigration approach. The Archbishop's attempts to initiate this meeting have so far been unsuccessful.
Priti Patel says we are the actual products of integration, multiculturalism
Speaking to Sky News' Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, the former Home Secretary Priti Patel said: "[Ms Braverman's speech] was very much about making interventions... [but] that is not a substitute for delivery around changes to policy in government. Now, I don't know what the intention was around that, whether it be to get attention [or] have the dividing line... as we go into a run up to a the general election.
"I can understand that, I can absolutely understand that, but you and I are sitting here today, we are the actual products of integration, multiculturalism, dynamic communities, people that love our country, want to contribute to our country, along with a hell of a lot of other people that have done exactly the same, and I think that is something we should be proud of in our country."
We must continue working to unite
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, told Asian Voice, “I’m proud that London is a reflection of the success of multiculturalism, with our diversity improving all aspects of life in the capital for the better. From business to the arts, we see the positive impact that multiculturalism has every single day, and we are all richer as a result. Rather than seeking to divide, we must continue working to unite our communities and promote social integration and all the benefits it brings. I am proud to be a Mayor for all Londoners and I will always celebrate London’s diversity and work to bring communities together as we continue building a better London for everyone.”
A politically convenient narrative
Speaking to the newsweekly, Lady Kishwar Desai, Chair of the Partition Museum said, “While both the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman and the current Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak are a product of the success of multiculturism in Britain, it would make electoral sense for Suella Braverman to deny it.”
“After all, she needs to appeal to the so-called majoritarian sentiment in the country that the ‘foreigners’ need to be kept out — else the UK is in danger of collapse,” she said.
“She needs to maintain that the multicultural narrative of the UK is broken. Thus it would be simpler (for her) if politicians like her are somehow viewed as ‘different’- the unicorns- so that their success is considered unique and not a celebration of multicultural Britain”, Lady Desai added.
She further explained that Braverman’s remarks on multiculturalism do not just present an incorrect picture of a changing UK, they also encourage racism while she keeps coming up with one unsuccessful immigration policy after another.
Lady Desai pointed out that unfortunately, for the Home Secretary and other ultra-right politicians like her, the world has changed and added that, “She cannot deny her own heritage and claim to be more of a child of the Empire than of the consequences of it.
“Multiculturalism is an ideal and no country can claim to be entirely successful in managing it. It requires largesse to recognise the talent of a first or second-generation migrant, and the UK has been gracious enough to recognise that of both Ms Braverman and Mr Sunak.
“They in turn stand on the shoulders of thousands of others, including Parliamentarians like my husband who came from another country and who have struggled for years to create the multicultural environment for Ms Braverman to get the acceptance she enjoys today. But it is unlikely that she will recognise that.”
Lady Desai feels that we can always do better but to be in denial that multiculturalism has been a contributor to her growth, and that of the UK in general is a narrative of electoral convenience. 'I had thought the Conservative party had grown to accept this, especially under Prime Minister David Cameron. But I might have been mistaken.’
Multiculturalism is a manifestation of a range of global relations
Nirmal Puwar, a Reader at the Sociology Department at Goldsmiths University, shared her opinion with Asian Voice, saying that multiculturalism exists in a multitude of ways and is a manifestation of a range of global relations. She further explained that everyday matters, including the slave trade and indentured labour relations to the British tea with sugar, can’t be understood without the historical contexts,
Expressing her opinion on Braverman’s controversial remarks, she said, “Braverman herself is a product of migration and colonialism. She is an asset for the right wing and not an unusual political entity whose colour brings legitimacy to ringing the bells of border hostility, with an attempt to expel others with revulsion.
“Everything falling apart in the UK is channelled through a scapegoat tunnel in highly emotive rhetoric. Distracting from the state of austerity, depletion of the NHS, schools and municipal governance and infrastructural capital speculation projects.”
Braverman attacks almost everything in sight
In his special column for Asian Voice, Lord Bhikhu Parekh mentioned that Suella Braverman attacks almost everything in sight, especially if it has a liberal and humanitarian look. He shares that “She thinks that multiculturalism involves leading parallel lives and doesn’t encourage minorities to integrate into British society, and so on. Nothing could be further from the truth.”
“There is little doubt that Britain would have been a far more divided country without the support and encouragement provided by multiculturalism and the consequent principle of generosity and mutual respect.
“It is about time that we allowed facts to speak rather than prejudices to take over our minds. Equally, it is important that we should show humanity and kindness when they are needed. Anything less is unworthy of a country like ours”, he added.
The refugee council has also challenged Braverman's assertion that the majority of asylum seekers are economic migrants highlighting an analysis indicating that, if their claims were processed, three out of four individuals who crossed the English Channel in small boats this year would likely be granted asylum.
The Council, utilising Home Office data on Channel crossings, reported that 74% of arrivals in 2023 would qualify as asylum seekers, representing an increase from 65% the previous year.
Support for Home Secretary’s approach
Suella Braverman received support from Kemi Badenoch, who suggested considering the option of exiting the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) as the government faces mounting pressure to address the migrant crisis.
These remarks are anticipated to reignite the debate surrounding Rishi Sunak's immigration policy. The Business Secretary emphasised the necessity for the Conservative Party to engage in a candid discussion regarding the potential departure from the ECHR.
Braverman also found support from established far-right groups in the UK, including Mark Collett, a former protege of British National Party leader Nick Griffin, who now leads the Patriotic Alternative group.
According to Nitin Mehta, a renowned speaker on India’s spiritual heritage, it is brave of Braverman to speak out on this deeply sensitive issue. He said, “Her father came from Kenya and her mother from Mauritius. Braverman has been attacked by both the left and right-wing media. How dare an immigrant child speak of curbing immigration they ask. The answer to that question is why not?”
In a reiteration of Braverman’s approach to global leaders' hesitancy, Mehta shared that “an English, Welsh, Scottish or Irish politician would not have spoken out on this issue for fear of being called a racist.”
He further added, “There indeed is a need for a uniform code of law that overrides the outdated regressive cultural practices of any immigrant group.
“The National Anthem should be sung in schools and other institutions. There should be a clampdown on the politics of the countries from where the immigrants have come. The Western countries should have the right to deport individuals who organise violent protests and plan terrorist activities in the very country that has welcomed them.”
Immigrants and ethnic minorities can be unreasonable and violent and yet the left-wing media and so-called liberals find excuses for their behaviour.
