Damage Control?

David Cameron accused of fostering division in ‘Christian’ UK

Prime minister’s references to Britain as a Christian country have negative consequences, say campaigners. Al BeBeeCeera and the Grunard are on the case.

Jack Straw comes out in support of David Cameron on ‘Christian Britain’

Former Labour foreign secretary tells BBC’s Today programme Christian-based values ‘permeate our sense of citizenship’

Jack Straw, the former Labour foreign secretary, has defended David Cameron‘s decision to describe Britain as a Christian country.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Straw said he did not accept the argument made by more than 50 prominent public figures, who used a letter in Monday’s Daily Telegraph to dismiss Cameron’s assertion, accusing the prime minister of fostering “alienation and division”.

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3 thoughts on “Damage Control?”

  3. Jack Straw, Still Confused (Hugh Fitzgerald)

    Always confused!

    He has had finally to admit that there is a “problem” with a Muslim takeover of schools. But for Jack Straw it’s still

    ‘a very small minority” who provide reason to worry. Other Muslims — the “vast majority” — are just fine.

    “There is a real distinction between people who are devout and a very small minority who are extremist and verging into militant extremism and to justifying violence”.

    You wish.

    What isn’t acceptable – and this affects only a tiny minority, but we’ve got to spell it out to them – are those who proselytise Islam in an exclusive way and claim that those who are not of the Muslim faith are infidel and have fewer rights, and argue that women are inferior and ought to have fewer chances in society than men.’[what Jack Straw claims — with no evidence — “affects only a tiny minority” is orthodox Islam.” His confusion and fear of thinking clearly about things is indicated by his repetition of that phrase — “a very small minority” and then “affects only a tiny minority.” How does he know? And then he bizarrely talks about those who “proselytise Islam in an exclusive way” — what could the phrase “in an exclusive way” possibly mean? Is he attempting to express the thought that Muslims claim the right to proselytize, but they deny that right to others? If so, why doesn’t he say it? He can’t, that’s why. And to describe those who “claim that those who are not of the Muslim faith are infidel and have fewer rights, and argue that women are inferior and ought to have fewer chances in society than men” as part of a tiny minority, when all Muslims, if they take their faith seriously, believe all of those things, shows again how difficult it is for Jack Straw to allow himself to understand Islam. I think at this point he’s beyond all hope; his entire adult life has been spent believing certain thjings, about Muslims and diversity and so on, and now, as all the evidence accumulates to show how wrong he has been, he appears to change, a little, but he can’t think things through to the end. It’s beyond him. And many others like him.

    His full remarks are here.

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