Trevor Phillips debates immigration and follows Chelsea in Europe
It’s Powell week. I am due to speak at the site of his infamous ‘rivers of blood’ speech on Sunday, a rather clever idea dreamed up by my colleagues at the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Kamal Ahmed and Patrick Diamond. I must admit I had initial reservations about the proposal. After all, I am a serious public official, and among our breed the idea of speaking in plain English to the Great British Public about things that actually bother them has never found much favour. However, I can see the value of trying to kick-start a new debate about immigration. We are no longer the country of colonial immigration into which I was born. The real migration issue today is economic — how we ride the tidal wave of talented people which is sweeping across the globe. Other nations are cherry-picking the best while we fret over whether we can ‘afford’ more immigrants. The truth is that if we don’t compete, our grandchildren will curse us for leaving them to survive in an economic backwater called Britain unless, that is, they can get work permits to the world’s dominant economies — China, India, Brazil, Australia and the USA.
I reflect on all this as I sit on the platform at the annual meeting of the gay rights pressure group, Stonewall. The QEII Conference Centre hall is packed, not with stereotypical Village People lookalikes, but earnest folk from Britain’s biggest companies, worrying about how to make sure that their companies gets their hands on the so-called ‘pink pound’, a billion-plus bonus that Ben Summerskill, the organisation’s chief executive, has deployed brilliantly. My guess is that most of the 300 or so people listening to me aren’t lesbian or gay at all, but just see this diversity thing as good business. The man from the Royal Bank of Scotland, who is middle-aged, and what our red-tops would describe as a ‘family man’, i.e. probably not gay, rather disconcertingly says: social justice is a good thing — but frankly I’m a banker, so what I’m really interested in is how I get hold of your money. It’s a world that old Enoch would have found baffling.
More articles from: Trevor Phillips | this section
Post this entry to: del.icio.us | Digg | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit
Spectator readers respond to recent articles
The Spectator on Alistair Darling's 10p tax compensation package
Dennis Sewell on the state of Lebanon and the charm of Guto Harri
Anthony Browne reviews the week in politics
Charles Moore's reflections on the week
Advertisement
Bush Hall Hotel - traditional quality country house hotel & restaurant, in Hertfordshire UK. Luxury leisure breaks, wedding & conference facilities.
Bush Hall Hotel - traditional quality country house hotel & restaurant, in Hertfordshire UK. Luxury leisure breaks, wedding & conference...
UMBRIA, Niccone Valley.Farmhouse Rental. Newly renovated 400 year old farmhouse, high on the south facing slope of Niccone Valley, on
AMAZING CORNISH HOUSE previously featured in Vogue Living, available to let during the last 3 weeks of August either on a
PARIS and ROME: over 350 holiday rentals apartments listed: visit www.parisreference.com and www.romanreference.com or call +39 0648 903612.
Spectator Business | Apollo Magazine
Corporate | Advertising | Privacy | Terms
Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London, SW1H 9HP
All Articles and Content Copyright ©2008 by The Spectator | All Rights Reserved
David
April 24th, 2008 3:26pm"Other nations are cherry-picking the best while we fret over whether we can ‘afford’ more immigrants"
Er, no, other nations are also fretting whether they can afford more immigrants too. What world are you living in?
rhory fraser
April 25th, 2008 5:42pmWho elected Racistfinder General Trevor Phillips and what exactly is the nature of this platform from which he hectors the rest of the population with his absurd, unrepresentative opinions? Our backpockets.
And the idea that Nick Griffin doesn't recognise Trevor Phillips when he and his party have outflanked him with a clever stunt by booking the hotel room next to theirs, is pure self-delusion
David Preiser
April 26th, 2008 6:14pmWhy do dance around the real problem with football metaphors about "integration"? Wouldn't you have more effect if you just spelled it out that people's real concern is that too many concessions granted to immigrants will result in the natives being forced to surrender all of their own values?
Cui Nono
April 27th, 2008 5:42pmHere is my chance to thank you and your colleagues in the race industry for your efforts over the years in making this country a paradise of racial and cultural harmony. Had we been asked, we could not have wished for better.