British National Party leader Nick Griffin today said he was unable to tell if a caller to a radio phone-in was British as he couldn't see what he looked like. He told the Nottingham man – who said three of his grandparents were born outside Britain – that he could class himself as "civically British" but not "indigenous British".
His remarks came as he took calls from listeners on BBC Radio 4's The World at One. During the phone-in, caller Sean Fowlston asked: "Would you be good enough to tell me whether I am British or not, given that three of my grandparents were foreign-born?"
Mr Griffin said: "It doesn't matter where on earth they come from, obviously I can't you see you down the radio."
He then added: "You're British."
But pressed why it would make a difference what colour the man was, Mr Griffin went on: "It would make a difference in particular, if he was what the BBC would call white, then I would assume from his name he was Irish, and I am part-Irish as well. We regard the Irish as completely part of Britain."
Asked why he would need to see him to know whether he was British or not, Mr Griffin said: "Because if I could see him I could tell whether his three ancestors were Irish or not."
During the phone-in Mr Griffin was asked if the Royal Family were "indigenous" British as their ancestors originally came from Germany in the 18th century. Mr Griffin said: "Erm, well that was part of the Royal Family. They are a fairly old mixed-up bunch of Europeans, but they are fully integrated. Once you reach a stage where you simply can't tell, when the whole community regards someone as being part of the indigenous, that is when they are indigenous. That is the case in the Amazon jungle, why is it different here?"
This is Nottingham
Showing posts with label indigenous. Show all posts
Showing posts with label indigenous. Show all posts
April 30, 2010
BNP serve to attack Britishness
What a paradox we witnessed last Friday when the most abhorrent political party in our history, the BNP, launched their manifesto on St George's Day.
I am sure that Nick Griffin must be aware that St George is not an "indigenous" Briton. Indeed, St George was most probably born in Eastern Turkey, became a senior soldier in the Roman Imperial Guard before being executed for his Christian beliefs on April 23, 303. He is not only the patron saint of England but the saint of at least seven other countries including Ethiopia, Russia and Georgia.
Under the immigration policy of the BNP, St George may well be our Saint but he would not be allowed into this country. How do they square that circle? The BNP define an "indigenous" Briton as someone whose "...ancestors were the earliest settlers here after the last great Ice Age..." How many people reading this would pass that test? I know I and my family would not.
They also talk about the "Threat to our security posed by Islamism. What a ridiculous view! Terrorism is our enemy, not Islam. The attackers on 9/11 did not differentiate between any religious beliefs...many Muslims lost their lives on that terrible day, just as other Muslims have been killed on other attacks.
St George symbolises all that is great about our country and the way we have always integrated with people of different cultural backgrounds throughout our history.
The actions of Westminster politicians in recent years is disgraceful and we must send them a powerful message at this election, leaving them in no doubt that we are all disgusted by their behaviour. But let's not legitimise parties like the BNP, who, rather than represent the core of all our Britishness, actually attack the very heart of it.
Redditch and Alcester Standard
I am sure that Nick Griffin must be aware that St George is not an "indigenous" Briton. Indeed, St George was most probably born in Eastern Turkey, became a senior soldier in the Roman Imperial Guard before being executed for his Christian beliefs on April 23, 303. He is not only the patron saint of England but the saint of at least seven other countries including Ethiopia, Russia and Georgia.
Under the immigration policy of the BNP, St George may well be our Saint but he would not be allowed into this country. How do they square that circle? The BNP define an "indigenous" Briton as someone whose "...ancestors were the earliest settlers here after the last great Ice Age..." How many people reading this would pass that test? I know I and my family would not.
They also talk about the "Threat to our security posed by Islamism. What a ridiculous view! Terrorism is our enemy, not Islam. The attackers on 9/11 did not differentiate between any religious beliefs...many Muslims lost their lives on that terrible day, just as other Muslims have been killed on other attacks.
St George symbolises all that is great about our country and the way we have always integrated with people of different cultural backgrounds throughout our history.
The actions of Westminster politicians in recent years is disgraceful and we must send them a powerful message at this election, leaving them in no doubt that we are all disgusted by their behaviour. But let's not legitimise parties like the BNP, who, rather than represent the core of all our Britishness, actually attack the very heart of it.
Redditch and Alcester Standard
Labels:
British National Party,
indigenous,
Islam,
Nick Griffin,
St George,
terrorism
November 24, 2009
Barry Gardiner MP hits out at BNP over Wembley video
A far-right group has described scenes of Wembley's diverse population as “horrific” in an online video
Members of the British National Party (BNP) from South Wales can be heard saying “it's not our country anymore” as they drive down High Road, in footage uploaded to video sharing website Youtube.
As residents from different the areas diverse community walk passed the camera voices can be heard in the background saying “how can anybody say immigration is a good thing”. One man says “you've got your pajamas on” as the camera, aimed out of a car window, passes a man wearing traditional clothing.
Barry Gardiner, MP for Brent North, hit out at the BNP in Parliament, describing the footage as “revolting” and challenging the party to contest his Brent North seat. He said: “My understanding is that if you are born here you are British. To say “Briton” means people who came here several hundred years ago is simply rubbish. You can apply for citizenship or you can be born here. Most of the people in Wembley were born here.”
Simon Darby, vice chairman of the BNP, said: “There may well be a case for putting up a candidate in Brent North, I don't know.”
He added: “This isn't integration it's colonisation. It's not a question of integrating it's replacing the local population. That area was predominantly indigenous, white and British. It's fallen down and down where we are on course for there being no, or a negligible amount of indigenous people.”
When asked what he meant by indigenous, he said: “Indigenous Britons are white. It's an inconvenient fact – indigenous Britons are white.”
Harrow Times
Members of the British National Party (BNP) from South Wales can be heard saying “it's not our country anymore” as they drive down High Road, in footage uploaded to video sharing website Youtube.
As residents from different the areas diverse community walk passed the camera voices can be heard in the background saying “how can anybody say immigration is a good thing”. One man says “you've got your pajamas on” as the camera, aimed out of a car window, passes a man wearing traditional clothing.
Barry Gardiner, MP for Brent North, hit out at the BNP in Parliament, describing the footage as “revolting” and challenging the party to contest his Brent North seat. He said: “My understanding is that if you are born here you are British. To say “Briton” means people who came here several hundred years ago is simply rubbish. You can apply for citizenship or you can be born here. Most of the people in Wembley were born here.”
Simon Darby, vice chairman of the BNP, said: “There may well be a case for putting up a candidate in Brent North, I don't know.”
He added: “This isn't integration it's colonisation. It's not a question of integrating it's replacing the local population. That area was predominantly indigenous, white and British. It's fallen down and down where we are on course for there being no, or a negligible amount of indigenous people.”
When asked what he meant by indigenous, he said: “Indigenous Britons are white. It's an inconvenient fact – indigenous Britons are white.”
Harrow Times
Labels:
BNP,
colonisation,
indigenous,
Simon Darby,
YouTube
August 13, 2009
May 25, 2007
Sector rebukes call for allocations policy to favour indigenous families over migrants
An attempt by senior Labour politicians to make housing allocation policy favour British families trapped on long waiting lists would face fierce opposition from housing professionals.
A call by trade and industry minister Margaret Hodge this week for indigenous people to be given a greater right to social housing than new migrants was criticised by the housing world. The issue has also created a rift in Labour’s high command with Keith Vaz, a member of its national executive committee, signing an early day motion describing the call to give British people housing priority ‘regrettable’.
Ms Hodge’s comments follow former home secretary David Blunkett’s suggestion that two housing waiting lists should be created. One should be set up for people in urgent need, the other for those who do not benefit from needs-based allocation regimes, he said.Labour party chair Hazel Blears, a candidate for the deputy leadership position, backed Ms Hodge’s call for a rethink on allocations policy.
Chartered Institute of Housing chief executive David Butler said the senior MP’s moves took housing ‘in a direction we don’t want to go in’.
‘For a government policy to allow people to come into this country and then deny them access to services is the wrong way to deal with this problem,’ he added.
Mr Butler said the real problem was the insufficient supply of social housing, something most senior housing professionals identified as the greatest source of community tensions in an Inside Housing survey (17 November).
MP Jon Cruddas, the Labour deputy leadership candidate whose Dagenham constituency borders Ms Hodge’s, said she was in danger of ‘racialising arguments over housing allocation’.
Barking & Dagenham Council’s director of housing David Wood rejected the suggestion that refugees and asylum seekers were given priority. He also said lack of supply was the main problem.
The mayor of London has also criticised the demands for a housing allocation policy that favoured the indigenous (see above).
David Lunts, the mayor’s executive director of policy and partnerships, said the number of migrants living in social housing was tiny. A spokesperson for the prime minister said that just 1 per cent of lettings in 2005/06 went to foreign nationals.
Karen Buck, Labour MP for Regent’s Park & Kensington, said she had ‘never seen an economic migrant in areas of high housing need that get housing first’.
‘The real issue is about supply,’ she added.
inside housing
A call by trade and industry minister Margaret Hodge this week for indigenous people to be given a greater right to social housing than new migrants was criticised by the housing world. The issue has also created a rift in Labour’s high command with Keith Vaz, a member of its national executive committee, signing an early day motion describing the call to give British people housing priority ‘regrettable’.
Ms Hodge’s comments follow former home secretary David Blunkett’s suggestion that two housing waiting lists should be created. One should be set up for people in urgent need, the other for those who do not benefit from needs-based allocation regimes, he said.Labour party chair Hazel Blears, a candidate for the deputy leadership position, backed Ms Hodge’s call for a rethink on allocations policy.
Chartered Institute of Housing chief executive David Butler said the senior MP’s moves took housing ‘in a direction we don’t want to go in’.
‘For a government policy to allow people to come into this country and then deny them access to services is the wrong way to deal with this problem,’ he added.
Mr Butler said the real problem was the insufficient supply of social housing, something most senior housing professionals identified as the greatest source of community tensions in an Inside Housing survey (17 November).
MP Jon Cruddas, the Labour deputy leadership candidate whose Dagenham constituency borders Ms Hodge’s, said she was in danger of ‘racialising arguments over housing allocation’.
Barking & Dagenham Council’s director of housing David Wood rejected the suggestion that refugees and asylum seekers were given priority. He also said lack of supply was the main problem.
The mayor of London has also criticised the demands for a housing allocation policy that favoured the indigenous (see above).
David Lunts, the mayor’s executive director of policy and partnerships, said the number of migrants living in social housing was tiny. A spokesperson for the prime minister said that just 1 per cent of lettings in 2005/06 went to foreign nationals.
Karen Buck, Labour MP for Regent’s Park & Kensington, said she had ‘never seen an economic migrant in areas of high housing need that get housing first’.
‘The real issue is about supply,’ she added.
inside housing
Labels:
allocations,
council housing,
indigenous,
Jon Cruddas,
Margaret Hodge,
supply
May 22, 2007
Ignore myths, stick to facts
(Click image for full-size)Powell's crude, calculated talk of bloodshed ahead and "wide-grinning piccaninnies" sullied his reputation for ever. Hodge too was seeking - not for the first time - to articulate complaints of her constituents in Barking, that newcomers are making it harder for their children to either rent or buy a home.
In her case only the coded word "indigenous" was deemed offensive, just as David Blunkett was chided for repeating Mrs Thatcher's 1978 use of "swamped" in regard to schools and doctors' surgeries. The British Sociological Association has a list of racially sensitive words which is constantly evolving. In 1968 Martin Luther King, as well as Mr Powell, used "negro".
But, like Mr Powell, Mrs Hodge was challenged to provide hard evidence, not "rumour and inaccuracy", to justify giving the oxygen of publicity to the BNP which has 12 councillors in Barking and Dagenham. It feeds on myths about immigrants. The fact is that the Labour council's points system does give preference to people with local links; that the real local problem is the cumulative shortage of new social housing to replace that lost to the Tory rent-to-buy policy which Labour has not rectified since 1997.
Last year the number of council and housing association units built in the borough fell from a very modest 572 to 230. What is true, as Jon Cruddas, Dagenham's Labour MP now running to be deputy leader, keeps saying is that social services in poor boroughs do feel the pressure of globalisation. So do falling local wage rates. "Racialising" problems will not help, better statistics leading to more Whitehall cash will, argues Cruddas whose local activists beat back the BNP. Labour in Barking did not, add Mrs Hodge's critics.
Guardian
Labels:
Barking and Dagenham,
BNP,
Enoch Powell,
indigenous,
Margaret Hodge
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
