Did Thought for the Day call Jenrick xenophobic?
Pivoting to more current affairs, he turned to a growing fear many in the UK are beginning to feel more intensely: that of immigration. But, worry not, those who can identify: by Kandiah's reading, this is irrational. Taking aim at shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick, he remarked:
A front page story in the Mail on Sunday quoted shadow justice minister Robert Jenrick, talking about his fears for his young daughters. He said: I certainly don't want my children to share a neighbourhood with men from backward countries who broke into Britain illegally and about whom we know next to nothing. These words echo a fear. Many have absorbed fear of the stranger. The technical name for this is xenophobia.
All phobias are by definition irrational. Nevertheless, they have a huge impact. It is understandable that many people are scared by the unknown, especially if they've been told illegality and unfairness are part of the story.
And Kandiah didn't stop there:
Over the past year, xenophobia has fueled angry protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers, deepening divisions in our communities.
After rigorous Home Office assessment, the majority of people arriving in small boats are found to be genuinely fleeing war, persecution and famine. Circumstances we would never wish on our own families. The idea that they pose a greater risk to our children than those already within our communities isn't supported by evidence. Most crimes against children are committed not by strangers, but by people they know, often from within their own families or neighborhoods.
Fear, when it makes us cautious can keep us safe. But when it makes us unnecessarily suspicious, it can be dangerous.
He omitted to mention that some of these protests have been sparked by concerns about sexual offences committed by migrants coming from other countries. How curious…
Mr S was interested to find out that Dr Kandiah is the founder the Sanctuary Foundation which is, as he writes on his website, 'a charity supporting refugees to find welcome, work and worthwhile housing in the UK' and is considered an 'expert in refugee resettlement'. Not that this would make him unduly sympathetic to a particular side, eh?
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The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
No apology needed for Robert Jenrick
I heard Dr Krish Kandiah's Thought for the Day on Radio 4 and agree with Alf Dubs and Tina Beattie – he was absolutely spot-on with his forthright comments on Robert Jenrick's appalling article (BBC apologises over Thought for the Day 'xenophobia' claim against Jenrick, 13 August). Jenrick was unquestionably xenophobic and, in my and many others' view, racist in his disgraceful terminology. I have volunteered with asylum seekers and refugees for some years and met and taught hundreds. The overwhelming majority are good, decent people, often highly skilled professionals and the sort of technical workers this country is crying out for. If Jenrick knows next to nothing about them, it's because he hasn't bothered to find out before voicing his ill-informed opinions. The BBC should not have apologised. The world needs people like Dr Kandiah, Lord Dubs and Marian Budde, the brave bishop who preached so eloquently at Donald Trump's inauguration service, to speak truth to power and call xenophobia and racism exactly that when they hear JohnsDerby I don't understand the BBC's reaction to the Thought for the Day that mentioned Robert Jenrick. The head of the Sanctuary Foundation, Krish Kandiah, quoted the shadow justice secretary as having said: 'I certainly don't want my children to share a neighbourhood with men from backward countries who broke into Britain illegally, and about whom we know next to nothing.' Kandiah went on: 'These words echo a fear many have absorbed – fear of the stranger. The technical name for this is xenophobia. All phobias are, by definition, irrational. Nevertheless, they have a huge impact.' All true and topical, if trenchant. So why is it objectionable? If Jenrick doesn't want to be associated with the echoing of xenophobic fears, maybe he should stop echoing xenophobic de BrunnerBurn Bridge, North Yorkshire It seems that nowadays you can't call a xenophobe a xenophobe. It's political incorrectness gone JuliansRomford, London Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
The Sun
7 hours ago
- The Sun
Fury as SECOND council vows to rip down St George's flags from lampposts… after Palestinian banners left up for months
FURY was sparked after a SECOND council ordered the removal of St George's flags. Residents have hit out after Tower Hamlets Council, in east London, announced the patriotic displays would be ripped down. 10 10 The Union Jack and St George's flags were raised by locals as part of a movement online called Operation Raise the Colours. But Mayor of Tower Hamlets Lutfur Rahman, who was found guilty of electoral fraud in 2015, has thwarted the campaign. The national flags will now be removed "as part of routine maintenance". Robert Jenrick, the Shadow Justice Secretary, told The Telegraph: "Tower Hamlets council have allowed Palestinian flags to be publicly displayed on lampposts but not the flag of our country. "This absurd national self-loathing must end. This is yet more two-tier bias against the British people. We must be one country united under the Union flag." Tower Hamlets Council previously sparked controversy when they allowed Palestinian flags to be raised after the war in Gaza broke out in 2023. They were eventually removed last year after members of the local Jewish community reported they found them 'oppressive and intimidating'. Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former Conservative leader, added: 'Why would we leave [Palestinian flags] up and take down flags that represent one of the countries of the UK?' A spokesperson for the council said: "We are aware members of the public have been putting up St George's flags on various structures. "While we recognise people wish to express their views, we have a responsibility to monitor and maintain council infrastructure. Protesters arrested near migrant hotel after 'asylum seeker guest' arrested on suspicion of assault "Where flags are attached to council-owned infrastructure without permission, they may be removed as part of routine maintenance." This comes after locals put up the St George's flags on houses and streetlights in Northfield, Birmingham, in what was described as a show of "patriotic outpouring". The Union Jack and St George's flags were put up using ladders and cable ties by a group of residents called the Weoley Warriors. Funded by £2,500 of public donations, the campaign is intended to 'show Birmingham and the rest of the country of how proud we are of our history, freedoms and achievements'. But Birmingham City Council confirmed the flags will be removed, saying the "unauthorised items" are "dangerous" and could potentially kill motorists and pedestrians. The council said that the extra weight could "potentially lead to collapse" in the future. 10 10 10 10 However, the council's decision has sparked backlash from residents. One unnamed flag-flying resident told BirminghamLive that the patriotic bunting had been put up because people in the area have "had enough". "This country is a disgrace and has no backbone," they said. "This isn't racism, it's frustration at being pushed into a corner and silenced." Jeremy Duthie, from Weoley Castle, also told the outlet: "My personal opinion is that anyone who has a problem with our national flag being flown is living in the wrong country and should maybe consider living in the country represented by whatever flag they prefer to see flying." Many have also pointed out that Palestinian flags were flying in other parts of the city to show solidarity over the Gaza crisis as well as Ukrainian flags for the last 18 months. And the council also lit up the Library of Birmingham in green and white to mark the anniversary of Pakistan's independence day yesterday. But a spokesman for the council said: "People who attach unauthorised items to lampposts could be putting their lives and those of motorists and pedestrians at risk. "Placing unauthorised attachments on street furniture, particularly tall structures like lampposts, can be dangerous." The council added: "Lampposts and other street furniture need to be protected which is why highways staff across the city removed around 200 advertising banners and flags that had been attached to lampposts since the start of this year. "They take down attachments from lampposts routinely, including advertising signs, bunting trails and flags." GROWING UNREST It comes as tensions across the country continue to rise, with hundreds of protestors gathering in the capital yesterday. Six people were arrested amid the demonstrations, which saw people setting off smoke flares and waving England flags outside The Britannia Hotel, in the Isle of Dogs. The majority of protesters had dispersed from the area by Sunday evening, cops said. The Met Police imposed conditions using Section 14 of the Public Order Act to prevent serious disruption at the protests in Canary Wharf. It comes after a migrant in his 20s was arrested for common assault after entering a woman's flat on Friday. The incident occurred on Wednesday night before he was detained by nearby members of the public. He was arrested by police on suspicion of common assault and he remains in custody. The Daily Mail reported that the man was a migrant staying in a Canary Wharf hotel. He reportedly entered the woman's house after being told to "go back to the hotel" where anti-migrant protestors were gathered. The 22-year-old woman whose flat he entered was arrested on Wednesday evening. Channay Augustus has since been charged with a number of offences including possession of an offensive weapon, affray, assault on an emergency worker, common assault and possession of cannabis. The affray and common assault charge relate to an incident at the Britannia Hotel in Marsh Wall which occurred on Wednesday evening. It concerned an alleged attack on a security guard at the hotel. The Britannia Hotel has been the subject of recent protests after it was used for migrants arriving into Britain. A Tower Hamlets Council spokesman told The Sun previously: 'We are aware of the Government's decision to use the Britannia Hotel in Canary Wharf to provide temporary accommodation for asylum seekers. 'It is important that the Government ensures that there is a full package of support for those staying at the hotel. We are working with the Home Office and partners to make sure that all necessary safety and safeguarding arrangements are in place." Elsewhere, in Epping, a peaceful protest took place yesterday evening. 10 10 10
Telegraph
a day ago
- Telegraph
Migrant hotel protests show British public has snapped, says Jenrick
Migrant hotel protests show the British public has 'snapped' over illegal Channel crossings, Robert Jenrick has said. The shadow justice secretary declared 'enough is enough' as he attended a protest on Sunday against the continued use of a hotel by asylum seekers in Epping. His visit came days after the BBC was forced to drop a Thought for the Day segment on the Today programme in which a guest accused the Tory frontbencher of xenophobia. Mr Jenrick joined around 100 protesters outside the Bell Hotel in Essex, which has been at the centre of weeks of protests amid concerns over community cohesion. In July, an Ethiopian asylum seeker staying at the hotel was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old schoolgirl days after arriving in Britain. A Syrian man, also living in the hotel, appeared in court last week charged with sexual assault after being accused of kissing a man on the neck. Mr Jenrick told The Telegraph: 'I think the patience of the British public has snapped. Frankly, it snapped a long time ago. People are absolutely sick to their back teeth of what's happening here and up and down the country and for good reason. 'In the last 100 days alone, there have been almost a dozen serious sexual offence allegations. This problem has been going on for six years – 170,000 people, mostly undocumented young men, have broken into our country. 'Each one of them is going to cost us half a million pounds if they stay. This has to come to an end, and I wanted to come here today to show my support for the fair-minded patriotic people here who are out protesting every weekend. 'They're right to do so. They're right to be angry and frustrated, and they're right to be demanding change, because this has got to stop. Enough is enough.' In a cordoned off lay-by, crowds gathered waving Union flags and the flag of St George to the sound of Sweet Caroline and other songs on a large karaoke speaker. Mr Jenrick said: 'I'm not just here to listen. I'm here to show my support because the people out here are doing the right thing. 'They are forcing the Government to listen and take action. We've got to make sure this comes to an end because the tragedy of the situation is we could stop this tomorrow.' Attended by families and a mixture of all ages, the crowd briefly turned hostile when a migrant returned to the hotel, prompting chants and jeers. Before protesters disperse, organisers conveyed plans for a national protest next Sunday. Outside the Britannia Hotel in Canary Wharf, London, on Sunday, protesters clashed with police following the arrest of a migrant last week. The man, who was living in the hotel, was arrested on suspicion of common assault after he allegedly burst into a blind woman's flat. He was said to have entered the house on Wednesday night after being followed by a group of men on the street who told him to 'go back to the hotel'. The Metropolitan Police imposed a Section 14 notice under the Public Order Act to prevent serious disruption and confirmed the majority of the protesters had left Canary Wharf by 5.30pm. There were a total of six arrests, including for breaching the s14 Public Order conditions, possession of Class B drugs and assault of an emergency worker. Among the protesters were a group of women all dressed in pink calling themselves the 'Pink Ladies'. Some of the group held signs that included: ' We are not far-Right but we're not far wrong. Don't gamble with our lives. Stop the boats.' Susan Hall, the leader of the City Hall Tories, was also in attendance. She told The Telegraph: 'Most of the people campaigning are local people who are concerned for their safety. They're not political activists, they are local people. 'That's why they asked me to come and speak. This was my first demonstration – this is the first time I've actually been to one, because I'm standing up for Londoners basically. 'Some people turned up with balaclavas and they were the ones that were trying to cause trouble. People are very, very angry about it and you can't blame them. That's why I was here today.' Also at the protest, however, were large groups of men in balaclavas, who were carrying England flags, coloured smoke flares, and signs that read: 'Stop the boats.' An estimated 32,000 asylum seekers are currently in about 200 hotels. This is down from a peak of around 400 in late 2023, but still costs the taxpayer up to £4m a day. The Government has pledged to axe the use of the hotels by the end of the current Parliament in 2029. Last week, Krish Kandiah, the founder of a refugee charity, used an appearance on BBC Radio 4's Thought for the Day segment to accuse Mr Jenrick of 'xenophobia'. Reflecting on the row, which saw the BBC forced to apologise, Mr Jenrick said: 'I thought it was a totally absurd allegation, and I'm not going to back down. 'The people I met here today are fair-minded, patriotic people who are just worried about their community, their families, their kids, and they deserve their voices to be heard.'
