Deputy Prime Minister fails to placate growing concerns of Muslims in Leicester (Leicester City Liberal Democrats)

Leicester City Liberal Democrats <joan.garrity@leicester-libdems.org.uk>

Deputy Prime Minister fails to placate growing concerns of Muslims in Leicester

March 29, 2005 2:30 PM

Parmjit Singh Gill making his Maiden Speech to the House of Commos

Parmjit asked the Deputy Prime Minister whether it was right that Muslims should be targeted by anti-terrorism legislation

At possibly the last Prime Ministers questions this Parliament, Parmjit Singh Gill, Member of Parliament for Leicester South, last week challenged the Deputy Prime Minister concerning the new Terrorism Act.

This challenge came in relation to comments made recently by the Hazel Blears, Minister for Crime Reduction, Policing and Community Safety, who stated that Muslims in Britain should expect to be disproportionately targeted under the new Terrorism Act.

Earlier this month, Hazel Blears said:

"...our counter-terrorist powers will be disproportionately experienced by people in the Muslim community. That is the reality, we should acknowledge that reality...."

On Wednesday in the House of Commons, the Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott (who was standing in for the Prime Minister, Tony Blair) failed to disassociate himself from Hazel Blears comments or give any reassurance to the Muslim Community.

In response to the concerns that Parmjit raised Mr Prescott said:

"I do not believe that it is helpful for the hon. Gentleman to make such remarks"

Responding later to Mr Prescott's reply in the House of Commons, Parmjit stated:

"Sadly, the Deputy Prime Minister failed to placate the growing concern many Muslims in Leicester and across the country feel concerning the terrorism legislation.

"These are legitimate concerns raised by my constituents which can't just be ignored. This is not a trivial issue, but strikes at the fundamental balance between freedom and security."

ENDS

Notes to the Editors:

1. Hazel Blears made these comments while giving evidence to the Home Office Select Committee on the 1st March 2005 is available online:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmselect/cmhaff/c165-v/c16502.htm

2. Hazel Blears's comments were covered on BBC Online:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4309961.stm

3. Giving evidence to a Home Office Select Committee Hazel Blears said:

"...our counter-terrorist powers will be disproportionately experienced by people in the Muslim community. That is the reality, we should acknowledge that reality...."

4. This story gained significant coverage in print and online. This has included coverage in The Hindustan Times 'Gill challenges Prescott over Blears' remarks on Muslims' and The Telegraph

'The old mangler finds his 'folicies' Commons sketch'.

The Hindustan Times article is available online at:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/5983_1297165,00430005.htm

The Daily Telegraph article is available online at:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;sessionid=BXVVXDFLHFXFRQFIQMFCNAGAVCBQYJVC?xml=/news/2005/03/24/nelec224.xml&secureRefresh=true&_requestid=17489

5. The full exchange in the House of Commons was as follows and is recorded in the official record of the House of Commons (Hansard).

Mr. Gill: Given the anxiety and concern expressed in Leicester by Muslim leaders, including the distinguished Ibrahim Natalia, president of the Masjid Umar mosque in my constituency, does the Deputy Prime Minister believe that the Minister for Crime Reduction, Policing and Community

Safety was right to express the view that Muslims should expect to be targeted by the police when they exercise powers under the new terrorism legislation? Will he take this opportunity to dissociate himself from that Minister's ill-judged comments?

The Deputy Prime Minister: That is an unfair representation of what the Minister said, and I do not believe that it is helpful for the hon. Gentleman to make such remarks-and this may well be the last occasion on which he is able to make them.