David Cameron: Tolerance on race has failed Britain

Published on Friday 4 February 2011 18:57

PRIME Minister David Cameron will today usher in a new chapter of British race relations when he declares an end to "state multiculturalism" and the beginning of a new "muscular liberalism".

• Today in a speech in Munich the Prime Minister will call time on multiculturalism Picture: PA

A day after MI6 warned of waves of suicide attacks across the UK by Muslim extremists, Mr Cameron will make a major speech at an international conference on terrorism, warning that the "hands-off tolerance" of the past has failed.

In a copy of the speech seen by The Scotsman, Mr Cameron has said the state needs actively to promote British values of "freedom of speech and worship, democracy, rule of law and equal rights regardless of race, sex or sexuality."

The Prime Minister has also given a bleak warning about the dangers of "passive tolerance", with a message that what is "at stake is not just lives, it's our way of life".

But his attack is focused on the policy of multi-culturalism which has dominated state policy since the 1970s. "I would argue an important reason so many young Muslims are drawn to it (Islamic extremism] comes down to a question of identity," he is due to say, reflecting on the "British experience".

Leader: Britishness and muscular liberalism: let the debate begin

He will go on: "Under the doctrine of state multiculturalism, we have encouraged different cultures to live separate lives, apart from each other and the mainstream. We have failed to provide a vision of society to which they feel they want to belong."

He adds: "We need a lot less of the passive tolerance of recent years and much more active, muscular liberalism.

"A passively tolerant society says to its citizens: As long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone. It stands neutral between different values. A genuinely liberal country does much more. It believes in certain values and actively promotes them."

And he complains that Britain has for too long tolerated communities behaving in ways contrary to British values, highlighting the issue of forced marriages within the Muslim community.

Last night, Downing Street denied that the Prime Minister was attempting to take on a French model of race relations, which has seen items such as the burqa banned, forces everybody to speak French, but has led to riots in some major cities.

Mr Cameron's speech, to be made at a conference in the symbolically important German city of Munich, has echoes of his Labour predecessor Gordon Brown's attempts to define Britishness. However, he goes much further in suggesting that these values need to be promoted actively.

He has insisted that the government will block "preachers of hate", such as some Muslim clerics entering the country. But he also insists people coming to live in the UK learn English and adhere to its values.

At one point he appears to question whether those who do not accept British values "belong" in the country.

His speech, though, is largely aimed at young Muslims who, he claims, have been left "rootless" by multiculturalism, and he appears to suggest that the government fears losing a generation to Islamic extremism.

He suggests the state has also had double standards over the way it views different groups.

He will say: "When a white person holds objectionable views - racism, for example - we rightly condemn them. But when equally unacceptable views or practices have come from someone who isn't white, we've been too cautious, frankly even fearful, to stand up to them."

He adds: "The failure of some to confront the horrors of forced marriage, the practice where some young girls are bullied and sometimes taken abroad to marry someone they don't want to, is a case in point."

He will say that the values of tolerance, freedom and democracy are essential and call on a hard-nosed attitude in promoting these values.

"To belong here is to believe in these things. Each of us in our own countries must be unambiguous and hard-nosed about this defence of our liberty."

And he will warn the leaders of the West and politicians back home to think about the groups they are sharing platforms with.

And he will warn that more organisations need to be proscribed and banned.

"So let's properly judge these organisations: Do they believe in universal human rights - including for women and people of other faiths? Do they believe in equality of all before the law? Do they believe in democracy and the right of people to elect their own government? Do they encourage integration or separatism?" he will say.

"Fail these tests and the presumption should be not to engage with organisations. No public money. No sharing of platforms with ministers at home."

The government refused last night to name any new organisations that might be on the list.

But Mr Cameron will also make it clear he wants religious identity no longer to be a barrier to national identity and for Muslims to consider themselves part of the country they live in.

"It will also help build stronger pride in local identity so people feel free to say yes, I am a Muslim, I am a Hindu, I am Christian, but I am also a Londoner or a Berliner too," he will say.