THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: David Cameron is standing by his decision to attack multiculturalism and hit back at Labour claims that he was helping the far Right.An angry row broke out after Sadiq Khan, Labour's shadow justice secretary, accused the Prime Minister of "writing propaganda" for the nationalist English Defence League by calling on Britons to be more robust in rejecting Islamist extremism.
Ministers demanded that Mr Khan apologise for "smearing" the Prime Minister by linking him with the EDL, whose members demonstrated on the streets of Luton on Saturday, chanting "Muslim bombers off our streets" and holding banners aloft, some of which read "No more mosques".
Baroness Warsi, the Conservative party Chairman, said: "For Sadiq Khan to smear the Prime Minister as a Right-wing extremist is outrageous and irresponsible.
"Mr Khan is Labour's shadow justice secretary and ran Ed Miliband's leadership campaign. He must apologise, and Mr Miliband needs urgently to disown his colleague's baseless accusation."
The Prime Minister was also criticised by Muslim groups for pronouncing that multiculturalism had failed in Britain because it had led to segregation.
In a major speech tackling the threat posed by Islamic extremists, the Prime Minister warned that "hands-off tolerance" of unacceptable practices by minority communities had only served to encourage extremism.
He called for a "muscular" defence of British values.
Speaking to a conference in Munich, Mr Cameron said that the threat of terrorism must be confronted not only though intelligence and surveillance, but by taking on the ideology of Islamist extremism at home.
"Frankly, we need a lot less of the passive tolerance of recent years and much more active, muscular liberalism," the Prime Minister said.
While a "passively tolerant" society allows its citizens to do what they like, so long as they do not break the law, a genuinely liberal country "believes in certain values and actively promotes them", Mr Cameron said.
"Freedom of speech. Freedom of worship. Democracy. The rule of law. Equal rights, regardless of race, sex or sexuality. It says to its citizens: This is what defines us as a society. To belong here is to believe these things.
"Each of us in our own countries must be unambiguous and hard-nosed about this defence of our liberty." Read on and comment >>> Melissa Kite, Deputy Political Editor | Saturday, February 05, 2011
My comment on Mr. Cameron's speech:
Cameron's speech is indeed encouraging. At last, a public figure has shown some courage when speaking about extremist 'religious' ideologies. But he needs to find some more courage. He needs to recognise, and articulate, that almost all terrorism these days is linked to Islam. Further, he has convinced me that he doesn't truly understand the nature of Islam. He continues to articulate the canard that "Islamist extremism" has nothing to do with Islam. WRONG, Mr. Cameron! WRONG! Islamism is a term made up by the infidel for the infidel. To a practising Muslim, it is a meaningless term. A true Muslim would only recognise one belief system: Islam. And we shall have to learn to face the fact that Islamism is merely the practice of Islam in its fundamental form. Islamists are people who want to practise Islam as the prophet Muhammad envisioned. To say anything different is to distort the truth.
But I must applaud Mr. Cameron for taking a bold step forward, for taking a bold step to help open up the debate. This debate is sorely needed. But I’m sorry to say that Mr. Cameron has some homework to do if he truly wants to come to terms with, and get a grip on, the real danger facing the UK and the West today. – © Mark
This comment also appears here
THE GUARDIAN: David Cameron sparks fury from critics who say attack on multiculturalism has boosted English Defence League: • Prime minister is accused of handing PR coup to the far right • Jack Straw calls David Cameron's comments 'ill-judged' >>> Toby Helm, Matthew Taylor and Rowenna Davis | Saturday, February 05, 2011
"Activists, some wearing balaclavas and others waving English flags, chanted "Muslim bombers off our streets" and "Allah, Allah, who the fuck is Allah". EDL supporters from Newcastle, Scotland, London, West Yorkshire and Sheffield joined Luton-based supporters. There were also flags representing German, Dutch and Swedish Defence Leagues." [Source: The Guardian]
