The recent comment by Robert Jenrick, the Shadow Justice Secretary about Britain's integration problem has shaken the country. Not because of the “toxic nationalism” but because of the possibility of what those words can trigger.
In an article in The Times by Trevor Phillips, he has pointed out that Jenrick has unfortunately “judged the book by its cover.” But the problem is not limited to Jenrick. There are people like Tommy Robinson or even Nigel Farage who have weaponised the so-called diversity into something controversial.
Phillips acknowledges that the explosion of immigrants arriving in Britain may be less integrated with the ethnic majority because of social media and Internet “which transcend geography but keep immigrants tethered to where they came from rather than freeing them to become Britons of the heart as well as of the passport.” He also recognises the issues with it. But the fixation on the number of immigrants arriving on Britain’s shores as refugees and integration, that in turn is increasing antagonism even towards legal migrants, who have lived here for decades or those born and raised here, as the country’s economy rapidly shrinks, is a huge problem.
Pride in Place Strategy
In an EXCLUSIVE interview, when asked about what message does the government have for minority communities who are facing the brunt of rising hostilities, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Rt Hon Steve Reed OBE told Asian Voice, “It is legitimate for people to raise concerns about issues, but it's not legitimate, and it's not acceptable to for people to be intimidating, to incite hatred or aggression, and we won't tolerate that. You'll have heard the Home Secretary talking in very strong terms about the additional action that she's going to take to make sure that that doesn't happen anymore.
“We all understand when people become frustrated. We're going through difficult times in many ways and have been for some years now. Then tensions can boil over, but we will never tolerate or accept hatred or division of that kind in our community, in our society, and we as a government will do everything that we can, to bring people back together again.
“So, we recently announced some funding called ‘Pride in Place Strategy’, which means in 224 different areas, poorest areas of this country, will receive up to 20 million pounds each, and the funding will be directed by the community itself. Now, whatever different backgrounds people come from, they will have a shared interest in their locality, their high streets, doing well and looking better. So, we can pursue initiatives like that bring communities together. Community by community, we will bring the whole country back together. And for me, that's a big priority.”
When asked if this was a direct result of the insecurity people are feeling about the shaky economy, he added, “I think it's undoubtedly true that there's an economic insecurity. And that's been the case for over 10 years now. And as a new government, we can't fix it overnight. People have a right to express their views. What people do not have a right to do is to intimidate other people, spread hatred, promote aggression against minority communities, or, frankly, anybody else. So, the government is taking steps to make sure that where there are protests or people expressing their views, they do it in a way that is acting within the law. We will not accept intimidation against any community in this country. And long term, we know that this country does best when we all come together and we work together.
“It's a very diverse country, and we all have a shared interest in Britain prospering and our economy growing stronger. So, the Free Trade Agreement with India is one way of doing that. I'm trying to get one and a half million new homes built. That's going to add jobs up and down this country, and there will be more affordable housings…”
FTA’s benefits for diaspora
When asked how the FTA between UK and India can make lives of the diaspora better, the Secretary added, “We have long historic ties with India. There's a big Indian diaspora community here in the United Kingdom. So, we have direct personal contacts with India. And with the Free Trade Agreement that gives us much better trade and flow of goods and people between our two countries and with India, which is now a rising giant economically, a real powerhouse of the coming century.
“It's important for our prosperity in the UK, as well as India's prosperity, that we strengthen trade between the two countries. We've seen a reduction in tariffs that will allow goods to flow between our two countries much more freely. Give you a small example. In my constituency, for many years now, we have had a lot of Indian restaurants, and the owners have been saying how difficult it is to get chefs. Now there will be more visas for chefs to come in and keep making the food that, frankly, all of us in the UK like to eat. So, I think that's a great benefit culturally, socially and economically, all in one example.”
