The British Premier’s speech to the Munich Security Conference was denounced as ‘deeply irresponsible’ when he declared an end to multiculturalism in the UK.
Prime Minister David Cameron told the annual conference in the German city of Munich that multiculturalism had failed in the UK and that Britain needed a “muscular liberalism that challenges Islamist extremism more forcefully”. Cameron’s speech, which was rather a Muslim bashing tirade, came on the day the English Defense League (EDL) thugs were rioting in Luton, threatening and scaring the living daylights out of the city’s Muslim population. As the prime minister was lecturing the British Muslim community, the EDL’s racist thugs were threatening and terrifying them in Luton, a densely Muslim populated area in the UK.
The EDL has staged more than 30 protests in towns and cities across the UK since it was formed in March 2009, many of which have been marred by Islamophobia, racism and violence. However, the Prime Minister condemned Britain’s long-standing policy of multiculturalism as a failure in his speech to the Munich Security Conference. Cameron signalled a marked change in policy towards Britain’s ethnic and religious minorities, saying the “hands-off tolerance” of those who reject Western values has failed. But, his remarks were dismissed as unwise. “It is unwise that he (the prime minister) did not take the opportunity to reject extremism in all its forms, including that of the EDL”, said Sutcliffe in a tweet.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Shafiq, chief executive of the Ramadhan Foundation said the Prime Minister was “deeply irresponsible” to link terrorism to matters of cohesion in the UK, adding that his speech was amounted to a “propaganda coup” for the English Defense League. “To link terrorism to cohesion is deeply irresponsible, today his speech is a propaganda coup for the EDL”, said Shafiq.
Shafiq denied that multiculturalism had failed in Britain. “If multiculturalism is understanding and respecting people’s views, then I think it’s been a great success, there are common issues and when we need to come together as a country we do”, he said. “For the prime minister to suggest the Muslim community doesn’t believe in democracy is deeply wrong”, added the chief executive of the Ramadhan Foundation.
Farooq Murad, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, criticized the prime minister’s failure to mention the EDL in his speech. “We find it very disappointing that, at a time when we should seek to stand together to fight violence and extremism, Cameron omits any reference to this extremist group spreading hate and bigotry against British Muslims,” he said.
Faisal Hanjra, assistant secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain described Cameron’s speech as disappointing. “Again it just seems the Muslim community is very much in the spotlight, being treated as part of the problem as opposed to part of the solution”, said Faisal Hanjra.