Viewpoint: This Ramadan We've Shown Islam and Britishness Are Not Incompatible

THE GUARDIAN: Despite the attacks post-Woolwich, with events like the Big Iftar British Muslims have reached out to the wider community

This week British Muslims and Muslims across the world celebrated Eid al-Fitr. After a month of fasting, prayer and reflection there was a time to celebrate and enjoy family meals. Ramadan has been tough this year – not just because of the long, hot summer days, but because of the recent string of attacks on Muslim communities and the shadow of the terrible events of Woolwich in May.

Since the horrific murder of soldier Lee Rigby on the streets of London, we have seen bombs set off at mosques, a school targeted by arsonists, and a Somali community centre razed to the ground. A month earlier we saw the terrible murder of 82-year-old Mohammed Saleem in Birmingham, a horrific crime for which a man has been charged and which police are treating as an act of terrorism.

The reaction to these attacks among the British Muslim community was striking. Their response wasn't to retreat; it was to reach out. This Ramadan, hundreds of community iftars (evening meals, when the fast is broken) have been held across the country. They have united people of all faiths and none, many of whom have never been in a mosque before, breaking bread in order to break down barriers. Many of these were part of the Big Iftar, which culminated with the prime minister's visit to the Jamia Masjid in Manchester on Wednesday. » | Sayeeda Warsi | Sarurday, August 10, 2013

Fewer Than One In Four People Think Islam Is Compatible With British Life, Faith Minister Warns

MAIL ONLINE: Baroness Warsi accuses critics of Islam of being 'un-British' / She points to polling which shows just 24% think Islam is compatible with being British and 23% ay it is not a threat to Western civilisation

Fewer than one in four British voters believes Islam is compatible with the British way of life, the UK's first Muslim woman Cabinet Minister reveals today.

Baroness Warsi will quote private police figures which show that more than half of race hate attacks in Britain are against Muslims as she condemns critics of Islam for peddling 'hate'.

Lady Warsi sparked huge controversy two years ago when she said Britain's approach to Muslims has made Islamophobia acceptable at middle class dinner parties.

But in a new speech today she accuses critics of Islam of being 'un-British' themselves by grouping ordinary Muslims with extremists.

The Minister for Faith and Communities reveals stark polling conducted by YouGov which found that just 24 per cent of voters think Islam is compatible with being British, while more than half disagree. Only 23 per cent say Islam is not a threat to Western civilisation.

An unrepentant Lady Warsi, whose parents emigrated from Pakistan, said that she was right to speak out before and will use the new evidence to warn that the 'underlying, unfounded mistrust' of Muslims is fuelling extremism. Read on and comment » | Tim Shipman | Thursday, January 24, 2013

Lesson One in Britishness: Migrants Taught How to Claim Benefits
MAIL ONLINE: Immigrants are to be given instructions on how to claim benefits as their first step in a new life in Britain.

They will be told to attend ‘orientation days’ at which they will be given information including their right to claim handouts, according to plans published by ministers yesterday.

The instructions were set out in a Home Office paper on how immigrants will in future be asked to qualify for a British passport by earning points and credits.

At present those allowed entry into Britain gain citizenship almost automatically after five years.

Among the ideas put forward by Home Secretary Alan Johnson is that migrants should be encouraged to return to their home countries to stem a Third World brain drain.

Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said: ‘There are clear risks in depriving developing countries of people and skills they badly need. Government needs to do more to maximise the positive impacts on the developing world and mitigate the negative.’

Possible schemes include allowing workers or students into Britain for just two years before they take their new skills back home. >>> Steve Doughty | Tuesday, August 04, 2009

All Government Buildings to Fly Union Flag Every Day as a Sign of Patriotism and Britishness

Union Jack courtesy of Google Images

THE TELEGRAPH: Gordon Brown's order that all government buildings should fly the Union flag every day of the year shows how fast things are changing. When the Countryside Alliance was organising its last and biggest march in London in 2003, I suggested to it privately that every marcher should carry a Union flag. They had thought of this, they said, but had rejected it because nowadays the flag was associated with Right-wing extremism.

And so it came about that the largest and most patriotic of modern British protest movements effectively banned the national flag from its events. Yet today a Labour government wishes to wave that flag every day, from every pole. What is going on?

The answer is that "Britishness" - the very word was not much used until recently - now matters again. Flying the flag is only the first step to victory (more) By Charles Moore

Mark Alexander