Ruth Kelly agrees with John Stonehouse

Ruth Kelly the Communities Secretary called today for a "new and honest debate" on the value of a multi-cultural society in Britain. (Full speech here.)

Hmmm, so what she is saying is, for the past 38 years THE DEBATE HAS NOT BEEN HONEST.

She said "In our attempt to avoid imposing a single British identity and culture, have we ended up with some communities living in isolation from each other with no common bonds between them?"

Well, bugger me, did not John Stonehouse (Labour MP) state this back in February 1968, six years before he left a pile of clothes on a Miami beach.

"The Sikh communities' campaign to maintain customs inappropriate in Britain is much to be regretted. Working in Britain, particularly in the public services, they should be prepared to accept the terms and conditions of their employment. To claim special communal rights (or should one say rites?) leads to a dangerous fragmentation within society. This communalism is a canker: whether practised by one colour or another it is to be strongly condemned".
(Stonehouse February 1968)



Basically, what she and the Labour government are saying is, Enoch was right
.