Yoosk today! - Immigration & Britain: What Needs To Be Done To Ensure Smoother Integration?

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Immigration & Britain: What Needs To Be Done To Ensure Smoother Integration?

Presented by

Lavanya Donthamshetty

Submit questions by Dec 20 2008
Interview published on Dec 26 2008

Panel

Gerard Batten

Nick Ryan

Shelina Begum

Nick Ryan (show answers)

PikkuMemy asked Nick Ryan: "Do you think that for example muslim women moving to Britain should abandon their burkas and their right to dress according their religion in a name of integration? "
Nick Ryan answers: "My own view is that a Burkha is too restrictive and not necessary under even sharia. A modest head covering and clothing does not mean a full body sheet. In my opinion, that is a sign of subjugation and 'separateness'...." Show more»" My own view is that a Burkha is too restrictive and not necessary under even sharia. A modest head covering and clothing does not mean a full body sheet. In my opinion, that is a sign of subjugation and 'separateness'. When you come to live in a host country, you adapt to its ways ("When in Rome, do as the Romans do"). However, very few Muslim women I think would wear full Burkhas in a country such as Britain. Of course, I do know women who do so and I wouldn't 'force' them to change. But you can be a Muslim woman, modestly covered, without going for a complete veil: this seems to me the recent influence of more Wahabist and Saudi-influenced practises. "Show less«
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sundeep asked Nick Ryan: "With one fiasco after another, it is clear that the immigration situation is one big mess. Wouldn't it be better to freeze the number of immigrants and try and sort the mess first, rather than letting..." Show more »"With one fiasco after another, it is clear that the immigration situation is one big mess. Wouldn't it be better to freeze the number of immigrants and try and sort the mess first, rather than letting in new immigrants and then moaning about it all?" Show less »
Nick Ryan answers: "Well, right across Europe right-wing (and far-right) political parties are gaining in the polls. Switzerland's anti-immigrant Peoples Party holds the largest vote in that country. This kind of sentiment..." Show more»" Well, right across Europe right-wing (and far-right) political parties are gaining in the polls. Switzerland's anti-immigrant Peoples Party holds the largest vote in that country. This kind of sentiment -- why not freeze or even kick out immigrants -- plays to the gallery well. Heck, Italy is now deporting Romanians it says are living illegally, after claims they're involved in a number of crimes. The trouble is that such pub-borne comments make little sense in reality: who would run the health services, the cleaning, the IT jobs, the plumbing even (!) if we just froze all immigration. The economy of this nation and others are built on immigration. Business can't just stop using immigration and cut off from the rest of the world. Better for our politicians to be honest in this debate, instead of landing cheap shots on one another. "Show less«
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maverick asked Nick Ryan: "In my opinion, Britain has no wish of becoming a 'melting pot' like America - hence the discord amongst those foreigners already there as well as the furore over the new ones streaming in day after day...." Show more »"In my opinion, Britain has no wish of becoming a 'melting pot' like America - hence the discord amongst those foreigners already there as well as the furore over the new ones streaming in day after day. That being so, do you think it is that lack that is hampering the integration process? I mean, it is all nice to say 'the British are very accommodating' but it isn't as if they had a choice, is it? Don't you think if they had a proper say in this issue, the British public would prefer if they didn't have the immigrant population 'tainting' their society?" Show less »
Nick Ryan answers: "I think a lot of ignorant people would like to *think* they didn't have to have immigrants. But then again, if that were true, half of them wouldn't be here in the first place. Look at me: half-Irish. Should..." Show more»" I think a lot of ignorant people would like to *think* they didn't have to have immigrants. But then again, if that were true, half of them wouldn't be here in the first place. Look at me: half-Irish. Should I go? What about the doctor from Malaysia that treated me in my local hospital? Or the South African dentist that fixed my tooth? Sure, when people say that charged word "immigrant", ask them what they really mean. I guarantee you they usually mean brown-skinned people: people who may have been living here three generations or more. Sure, there are problems, no-one denies that. But let's talk about this honestly and openly, without charging the debate already with skewed terms. And yes, I think Britain needs to shift to a stronger form of over-arching identity, like America. But America was founded as a nation of immigrants, so it remains a lot easier there. Saying 'British' to many Brits means little. Maybe the Union Jack means something else overseas, I don't know. "Show less«
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