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Coffee and biscuits the answer to integration for Muslims says Minister

Pete Devine
1/10/2007

A GOVERNMENT minister believes that the answer to furthering the integration of the Muslim community into wider British society could be for them to share more coffee and biscuits with their white neighbours.

John Denham, the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills was addressing a meeting in Bournemouth organised by the Fabian Society on citizenship and integration.

Zareen Roohi Ahmed of the British Muslim Forum told the meeting that the problems often stemmed from a "massive Eurocentric" view and said she hoped that the government would be pushing for a "less Eurocentric culture".

She explained: "Asians would say that the main barrier is a lack of trust, mistrust among young Asians and past supporters of the Labour Party who are feeling let down. In the recent past Labour has been more Islamaphobic than most of the other political parties.

"Indeed in Dudley, in the West Midlands where I was born Labour seems uncomfortable with Muslims and it recently abandoned its support to support the BNP instead. It has left that community feeling dejected. However, Gordon Brown's tone at the Labour Conference is encouraging and we hope to develop it."

Another issue she said was the life chances for young people and crime was a big issue.

She added: "We are not saying focus all your attention on the Muslim communities we are saying let's have targeted provision where there is a need. Do not Islamise everything as most issues are not related to the faith."

The government, she said, could show it wanted to help the community by improving access to services and letting Muslims know they should not feel isolated.

"We have to reassure Muslims they are not the problem. The issue of radical elements is as much a problem for them as it is for the wider society."

Mr Denham said he felt part of the problem in integrating the Muslim community further was intrinsically linked to the past.

He explained: "Our original relationships were not based on equality, and unfortunately we did not build on that. More recently the debate is around terrorism, and we never get further than that, as issues are equated with the Muslim faith when there is no evidence to support that."

Mr Denham said there were other issues involved including the learning of English but government had not performed anywhere near as well as it should.

"We have been slow to respond to the physical segregation that was highlighted in a report on disturbances in the Northern England.

What we need to do is to unpick the issues. I think what we need are more coffee mornings.

"If there are real issues there is nothing better than sitting down and having a chat on what we are going to do about it. And what we can do (as a government) is to provide the forum for that"

Zareen said Muslim communities should also begin to look outwards to other groups within the Islamic faith, who in the past had felt unwelcome at their mosques, and were often forced to set up ones of their own.

She added: "The Muslim leadership is very culturally based and we have to take responsibility for certain things. Currently, it's a very sectarian approach and this has enabled people who can't read or write to be voted in as councillors. We are trying to encourage a cultural shift so that people volunteer both inside and outside their community."