Cover Story

RACE AND CULTURE: ‘Israel’s actions affect our security’

24 September 2005

John Denham tells Peter Oborne that the domestic fight against terrorism requires the consent of the Muslim community

‘We now know’, he adds, ‘that in 2004 a confidential report from the Home Office and the Foreign Office warned that the alienation of young Muslims could undermine community cohesion and add to terrorism concerns. But once again little action appears to have been taken.’

Denham also speaks scathingly of the new moves to integrate Muslims after the London bombings. ‘Working groups have been set up and given all of six weeks to report on the action that needs to be taken on a variety of issues including extremist ideologies, young people, the participation of women, and so on.’ These studies were due to be published as The Spectator went to press. ‘It remains to be seen whether they are given any greater weight, long-term commitment or resources,’ observes Denham. ‘I hope so, but it comes very late in the day after many previous warnings and much inaction.’

He compares the weight of government attention given to Tony Blair’s fight against street crime — when ‘ministers for every part of the criminal justice system were involved’ — with the apparently desultory work being done to end alienation within the Muslim community. He notes the symbolism of sending Hazel Blears, the Home Office minister, on her national tour of Muslim leaders in the wake of the London bombings. ‘If it was a big issue, then why was a middle-ranking minister dispatched?’ He adds that he used to do Hazel Blears’s job and he would have felt just the same had he himself been sent on the road.