'According to research by the British Social Attitudes Survey the number of North East people admitting to being racially prejudiced has increased
The number of North East people admitting to being racially prejudiced has soared since the Millennium.
Back in 2000 only 13% of those in the region said they held such views, the lowest figure in the UK.
However, according to research by the British Social Attitudes Survey, the number has more than doubled to 29% in 2013.
While the North East still falls behind the two regions with the biggest number - Yorkshire and Humberside and the West Midlands with 36% - it still represents the largest leap of all UK regions in the 13 years between the surveys.
Hari Shukla, vice chair of the Newcastle Council of Faiths who has devoted 40 years to improving race relations in the city for which he was awarded an OBE, said: “It’s disappointing that after the work that’s been done over the last 40 years there are still these pockets of ignorance.
“It shows we can’t relax and we need to keep at it all the time.”
He said a lot of the prejudice is based on myths about immigrants coming to this country and taking jobs or claiming benefits which become particularly poisonous during times of hardship like now.
“If you look at history, people who have come to the region have come to work and they have provided jobs for the indigenous population,” he said.
In the recent local and European elections, the right wing anti immigration party Ukip made sweeping gains including landing its first ever MEP for the region, Jonathan Arnott.
Mr Arnott said on being elected that his was the party “that says no to uncontrolled immigration”.
Mr Shukla added: “Certain political parties use things to help them win votes. Certain parties have an agenda.”
He said that nobody was for uncontrolled immigration.
However he added: “We need to highlight the positive things that have resulted from immigration. Of course there have been problems but immigrants have put millions into the local economy and added to the cultural life of the community.”
Meanwhile, Newcastle Central MP Chi Onwurah said she was saddened by the figures.
“As a child growing up in Newcastle I often experienced racism, indeed some places were no go areas to me because of it.
“But then as a city we worked hard for understanding, tolerance, good neighbourliness – to enjoy each others’ differences and celebrate our strengths.
“So it is sad and indeed tragic if we really are going back to the bad old days of blaming someone’s skin colour for the challenges we all face.
“I’m on Newcastle doorsteps every week, I do not believe that almost one in three people is racist – I do think however that many are being told that being racist is the only way to address a recession caused by an out-of-control global financial sector and for which this Tory-led Government is still disproportionately targeting the North East.
“The housing crisis, job insecurity, low pay and exploitation these are real problems but they can and must be tackled without racism.”
Chronicle report HERE
OUR REPLY:
What the reporter probably didn't know is that MP Chi Onwurah who is featured in the article has herself racist views. In fact it was only a week ago that she was reported by some members of the public for making a racist comment on 'twitter' directed towards the EDL and the public who attended our regional protest in Newcastle.
We dont expect any action to be taken towards Chi Onwurah about this comment because experience has taught us that when an asian or black person in power makes any type of racial slurs towards the EDL or white people in general nothing ever happens to them.
A good example of this was when Dipu Ahad an elected Newcastle muslim labour councillor retweeted a picture of a loaf of bread which had been changed to read 'Soft White Thick' and '100% British CUNT'.
Many members of the public were outraged with Dipu about this racist picture and promptly reported him to Northumbria police, however yet again no action was taken for this racist post.
It seems to us that the old saying 'only white people can be racist' is in fact becoming more, and more true.
More reading:
Evening Chronicle: Police drop case
Civil Liberty: Ugly White Men
No comments:
Post a Comment