[West Ender]

Yes we've always been multi-racial and multi-cultural and it's what has made Britain the country it is today. The problem now is that a very vocal minority seems, to some, to be trying to impose its culture on the rest of the populace. That is worrying a lot of people and is leading to bitterness and ill-feeling.

In the mid 19th century we had a large influx of Irish, during and after the potato famine. Later that century the Jews of Eastern Europe fled to this country from persecution in their homelands. Here were just 2 groups, though there were many others, with their own ethnic and religious identities. In both cases they started their lives in England living in their own, separate communities. If you look at the demographic map of Manchester and its surrounding areas between 1850 and 1900 you will see the preponderance of Irish in Salford and Jews in Manchester, particularly Cheetham Hill; you'll see the Catholic Cathedral in Salford and the synagogue in Manchester. These people gradualy integrated with, added to and enriched our Nation.


We sometimes seem to forget that not all immigrants from Asia are Muslims. There is also the Hindu community but do we hear a constant barrage of complaint that they are treated unfairly? They have their own culture and their own religion but does it fly in your face? I went to a Hindu wedding some years ago. One of the family was wearing a gorgeous sari, had her hands decorated with henna and a bindi on her forehead and I complimented her on how nice she looked. She said, "Oh well it's nice to dress up for an occasion like this but I usually wear a suit when I'm working." That's integration.

I don't ask Muslims not to be Muslims, that would be very wrong, but I feel it's vital that they accept the norms of their adopted country and do not consider themselves, and perpetuate, a completely separate culture.