Pakistan

Muslim women must learn English or be deported: British PM

Poor English skills can leave people "more susceptible" to messages of groups like Islamic State, says David Cameron

Afp January 18, 2016

A file photo of British Prime Minister David Cameron PHOTO: AFP

LONDON: Muslim women who fail to learn English to a high enough standard could face deportation from Britain, Prime Minister David Cameron announced Monday.

He also suggested that poor English skills can leave people "more susceptible" to the messages of groups like Islamic State (IS).

Cameron's comments came as his centre-right Conservatives launched a £20 million ($28.5 million, 26 million euro) language fund for women in isolated communities as part of a drive to build community integration.

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Immigration rules already force spouses to speak English before they come to Britain to live with their partners.

But Cameron said they would also face further tests after two and a half years in the country to make sure their language skills were improving.

From October, people on recent spousal visas will have their English tested -@David_Cameron: https://t.co/piHWv4dr4a pic.twitter.com/mibQwOhKoB
— BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) January 18, 2016

"You can't guarantee you will be able to stay if you are not improving your language," he told BBC radio. "People coming to our country, they have responsibilities too."

Cameron's government estimates that around 190,000 Muslim women in England - about 22 percent - speak little or no English.

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There are estimated to be around 2.7 million Muslims in England out of a total population of some 53 million.

Cameron said that a lack of language skills could make Muslims in Britain more vulnerable to the message of extremist groups.

"I am not saying there is some sort of causal connection between not speaking English and becoming an extremist, of course not," he told BBC radio.

"But if you are not able to speak English, not able to integrate, you may find therefore you have challenges understanding what your identity is and therefore you could be more susceptible to the extremist message."

His comments drew criticism from Muslim groups and opposition parties.

Mohammed Shafiq, chief executive of the Ramadhan Foundation, which campaigns for better community relations, accused Cameron of "disgraceful stereotyping".

"David Cameron and his Conservative government are once again using British Muslims as a political football to score cheap points to appear tough," he added.

And Andy Burnham, home affairs spokesman for the main opposition Labour party, accused Cameron of a "clumsy and simplistic approach" which was "unfairly stigmatising a whole community."

COMMENTS (37)

Amer | 8 years ago | Reply @ajeet: I have some Muslim friends from Gujrat, india who think you are talking rubbish, pure and simple!

Uzair | 8 years ago | Reply White man's colonial mindset wouldn't change. Even after being reduced from three-quarters of the world to a tiny piece of land, imperialism is embedded in the mindset of British ruling elite.

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genesis | 8 years ago | Reply @Anon: There would no production,buildings,industries and any type of work at all because the local neither have the skills or the numbers!

genesis | 8 years ago | Reply @GKA: If they want to recreate the life .habits and way of living in the host society why go there in the first place.They should stay put in their home country and live as they want Brittan is right in insisting on this integration.

Feroz | 8 years ago | Reply If English is a must, have the same rules for all migrants irrespective of nationality, gender, religion, language, race or ethnicity. Rules should be unbiased and seen to be so..

Sexton Blake | 8 years ago | Reply Mr Cameron is talking his usual nonsense. In the suburb where I live there are all type of nationalities, namely Indian, Pakistan, Chinese not to mention various Asian and European languages. When I go shopping I find that many parents speak poor English, but the children are chattering to each other in very good English. It is obvious that one generation solves the problem as far as speaking good English is concerned.

Aly Khan | 8 years ago | Reply I personally feel this is the right way forward. We openly preach globalization everywhere so why not practice what we preach! No is is taking immigrants English test right away. give them time...An year or so after which, those with low English score should be penalized. What is the point of relocating into another country when you are not even willing to integrate. This rule should exist in all countries (with their respective National language) and encompass all immigrants without any gender bias.

NKAli | 8 years ago | Reply @Ashraf P: sorry! Let's not be vainglorious and live on emotions. We Muslims have a long and arduous road ahead, which can be traversed through education and disallowing the mullah to cage us. We have to unshackle our man-made irrational beliefs. Salams

Haji Atiya | 8 years ago | Reply @Abdul Hai: If one dons a bowler hat, talks like an Etonion and periodically downs a few stouts at the corner pub, you see that perceived "racism" end in a flash !

Haji Atiya | 8 years ago | Reply English is becoming more and more accepted as the franca lingua of the globe, let alone for living in UK. In fact, any prospective long-term visitor to the UK should first be required to take an English test at the UK High Commission before being granted a visa.

NKAli | 8 years ago | Reply Yes, PM Cameron is RIGHT. The Muslims cannot continue to be indifferent to change. They must learn to ADAPT. No government imposes immorality on its citizens. Under the changed circumstances of their choosing...the citizens must obey the law. Why is it that only after a 'dunda' does humanity see the light of day and the darkness of night? Salams

Abdul Hai | 8 years ago | Reply While in England tens years ago, I asked my Jamaican friend, who was married to a British lady and settled in London, his opinion about racism in England. He said that he learned what RACISM meant when he moved to England. If the English Prime Minister makes a similar law for English ladies to learn the language of the destination first before they marry a foreigner and seek passport to travel to that country, the law will never be passed. Glorifying the act of TERRORISM is declared under their law as TERRORISM. This is because they wanted serious action against terrorism. However, glorifying the act of RACISM is a pride. Those who have experienced RACISM in UK know that this fundamentalism is a reaction of the alienation and racism.

someone | 8 years ago | Reply @Anon: For that to happen, first they need to start offering residency and citizenship.

Ashraf P | 8 years ago | Reply The West just made it patently clear that Muslims are not welcome. If they have an iota of self-esteem they will boycott these countries.

Tp | 8 years ago | Reply I love this man.

ajeet | 8 years ago | Reply Every European nations should follow Gujarat's example during Modi's time. Muslims there are now the most peaceful in the world.

Kolsat | 8 years ago | Reply Since the immigrants come to western countries for a better quality of life they have the responsibility to learn the ways of their host nation and integrate with the natives. That is why I support PM Cameron. It may seem harsh but it is right. Non-integration into British society by Muslims has led to the current state of affairs where Muslims consider themselves only as Muslims and have no loyalty toward the country which gives them shelter and safety.

Azmat Ali | 8 years ago | Reply @GKA: The issue for me stems from these British politicians boasting of a multicultural society, while, on the other hand, they would like everyone to conform to their interpretation of what a community or society must be like. You don't want conservatism or religiosity in your country, then stop giving visas to people who show up for immigration interviews with long beards and in burqas. Why allow them in, in the first place, then expect them to suddenly become "enlightened" and "moderate".

vinsin | 8 years ago | Reply @Anon: Such rules are already in Gulf countries. In some non-Muslims cannot be citizen and practice their religion.

Sexton Blake | 8 years ago | Reply The sub-continent people should have insisted that the English learn Urdu/Hindi before the Raj illegally occupied them.

Anon | 8 years ago | Reply I wonder what the stance would be if the Gulf countries applied a similar set of rules....

GKA | 8 years ago | Reply @Azmat Ali: Remember the two nation theory ? These people who have acquired citizenship of the British state maybe citizens of the state, but they are not citizens of the british nation. Thier passport maybe british, but thier nationalality would still be of the land they were born in. Mybe you have a point that if they are granted citizenship then the state has to accept them (but then what are thier obligations) - but then the state has the right to raise the bar on new people. And that is what is happening. Brisith would not be deported. But non british on a spouse visa would certainly be deported

Tyggar | 8 years ago | Reply If Pakistan does the same, Bilawal will be the first to get thrown out

Shakil | 8 years ago | Reply I think its a fair expectation, migrants should stop living in ghettos and should know the language. I mean how can you justify holding a British passport and cant speak single word of English? I see resentment in many of the migrants who wish to live in UK but at the same time hating the country and locals?

GI Joe | 8 years ago | Reply More proof that Cameron is heading towards fascism.

Azmat Ali | 8 years ago | Reply I am absolutely flabbergasted by the unrealistic expectations of host communities across the globe. What did they expect of all immigrants? That they would simply unburden themselves of the cultural and religious practices of their homeland upon arriving in these new lands? Only if any of their actions (religious, cultural, or otherwise) fall askew of the law, there has to be an expectation of these folks abiding by the laws of the new homeland they have chosen. However, speaking in English, was never a requirement for those who accompanied the primary immigrant. Neither was the abandonment of the Niqab. Nor was anyone required to give up their cultural norms and practices upon landing in England. These new Immigrants are now Britons. You have granted them the right to live in your country. They went through a rigorous process of selection to be given that right. None of these "new" demands of integration were part of the selection process nor did these folks agree to any of it. However, the British have their rights. If the majority believes there's a certain set of rules of life that must apply to all its citizens, please go ahead and make them into a law and forcefully "reform" or throw out those who don't abide by these new laws and requirements. But until such time that these new demands are converted into laws for all Citizens, no immigrant community can be forced to "change its ways".

abhi | 8 years ago | Reply Nice initiative. Need more such initiative to educate and integrate muslim population to mainstream.

Bunny Rabbit | 8 years ago | Reply A goo Move . learn to be a Roman in Rome I say .

someone | 8 years ago | Reply This is open bigotry...singling out (the women of) a particular community is called fascism...and one more thing Mr PM...integration is a two way street..the host community has responsibilities also. FACT is the White British people are not willing to befriend non whites..whether they are blacks, asian, chinese, etc...

shahid | 8 years ago | Reply Good decision but very, very late. Fanaticism is very deep rooted now. Also know that the extremists are more afraid of being deported than Death and God both. Only deportations and zero tolerance can stop this menace. I accuse Britain of primarily responsible for the spread of Islamic fundamentalism by tolerating and in some ways encouraging these activities in the name of liberalism

Spooky | 8 years ago | Reply It remind me MIND YOUR OWN LANGUAGE BBC series. I wish they make similar series with this twenty million education grant with it. It was really series and very educated comedy.

Ahad | 8 years ago | Reply @Malik: I think they want Taxi drivers, long haul truck drivers and counter attendants etc But they want them to be integrated. They don't give international students 50,000 pound jobs after their degree unless the person is exceptionally good (not just good). I think we do the same with the Uganda students at Karachi University; if there are any left that is. When they hire low skilled labor they slow the upward mobility by at least a generation. I would not call it out of whack, but would call it "more filtered". This way they get the gifted minds and slowed down less gifted ones.

Karachiite | 8 years ago | Reply excellent initiative. my uncle has lived in england for decades and he's told me about the kind of radical neighborhoods that exist in pockets of london and birmingham, where it looks just like saudi arabia, and the women are oppressed, so i get what mr cameron here is talking about. indeed education is the best enlightenment.

GKA | 8 years ago | Reply If you read the social media and the debate in the press, you may believe that the muslim community closely guards the right Not to be Integrated and puts the onus on the state. All the articles you read - even in places like BBC etc - are about "France's inability to integrate muslims' or Britain's inability or Belgium's inability. No one talks about muslims ability - they are completely off the hook in the narrative currently prevalent In that light the above is a very good move. - a clear effort on the part of government with a clear message that the muslim community needs to come forward and do its bit or face deportation.

Bunny Rabbit | 8 years ago | Reply Why segregate them as muslims / Bangladeshis ... They are supposed to integrate into the new host society. Treat them as natives on par with other immigrants from Slovakia etc.,

ahad | 8 years ago | Reply I am mortified when I meet some of my countrymen in western countries. I wish the best for them, however I always wonder how in the heck did they end up there. It is important we play by the written and unwritten rules of other countries. For example, I want to go to Russia after a couple of years. Therefore I have already begun learning their language.

Malik | 8 years ago | Reply Would happen when they allow all the taxi drivers to obtain fiance visas, and kick out all the fresh university graduates because they do not have enough "points". The British immigration system is completely out of whack and outdated.

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