BRITISH VALUES OR MULTICULTURALISM

The buzz word these days seems to be Britishness. All of a sudden important people (or they think they are) like politicians are stressing British values and how, as a foreigner making Britain their home, they should espouse British culture. But the same politicians also state that we live in a multicultural society. It's not possible to have both. If foreigners stick to their own culture these do not necessarily accord with British values. Funnily enough British values include and always have done, letting foreigners into the country to settle. This trait goes back to the beginnings of our history. In the past it was usually, but not always, because they were being persecuted and we gave them asylum. However, these same immigrants quickly settled down and within a generation had taken on British values and customs and become British. The current leader of the Labour party, Ed Miliband, is a classic example. His father was a refugee from Hitler and his mother a Polish Jew who survived the Holocaust. This has not happened completely with the influx of Moslems. There are now second and third generation Moslems who despise British culture and religion and all that it stands for and want to change it. Their first allegiance is to their religion not their adopted country. So we have a problem.

British culture has, of course, changed over the ages as has Britain and the British. But there is a basic Britishness that survives. Fairness, impartiality, democracy and probably above all else, the rule of law. My father, who lived and worked all his life in Africa, (see my book Dear Chips) was as British as they come and really proud of it. In fact he was 'old British' believing that the British were the model for the rest of the world. When it come to British law, I think, he was probably right. We have a system of law in Britain which is fair, just and in general incorruptible. So why does the Law Society (the solicitors trade union) endorse Moslem Sharia based wills which, of course, discriminate against women. Under Sharia Law women can only inherit half what a man can. Then I get a pamphlet through the post from TSB headed Islamic Account, Sharia approved banking to fit your lifestyle and beliefs. Great if you are a Moslem male but not so good if you are a woman. My father would have been scandalized. This is Islam creeping into British life and it is not British and Brits should not just give it a wide birth, they should ban it.

Other things that are not British. Little girls in school all wearing white head scarves. Kids in a Moslem primary school in Britain having to learn verses of the Koran by rote for hours on end. Quite unacceptable. Segregation of boys and girls in schools. Having books in schools that preach hatred of the Jews and that praise Sharia punishments such as stoning and beheading. This was actually seen by a BBC journalist, but the head teacher, clothed in full Arab garb, assured him that it was only available in the staff room library – so that's all right then. Selling Halal meat in shops without marking it so. I don't want to eat Halal meat because whatever the authorities say and they swear it is killed humanely, the method of slaughter is cruel. Marching through the streets on a demonstration with banners demanding the beheading of people and the police standing by and doing nothing. Any other political or religious group doing the same would be violently broken up and arrests made.

British society is Christian based and whether you are Christian or not its gentleness is what we are taught from birth and what we really love about it. The Christian ethos of kindness, compassion and forgiveness does not sit well with some other cultures and religions. People flock to the UK because it is known for its friendliness, love of peace and quiet and live and let live. So when foreigners come they should take the culture on when they arrive. Many do, including Moslems. However, those that don't, give us problems and their number is growing. Multicultural societies all over Europe are failing and British politicians should recognise the problem and admit it exists. Judging from the British press, and internet and email content the British public are fully aware.