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.
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.
“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 per cent of the total – speak little or no English.
There are estimated to be around 2.7 million Muslims in England out of a total population of some 53 million.
– ‘Disgraceful stereotyping’ –
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.
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.”
Ex-Conservative Party co-chair Sayeeda Warsi said her former boss’s idea was “lazy and misguided” and a “stereotyping of British Muslim communities”
“My parents came to this country with very little English — my mum’s English still isn’t great, even though she has been to English language classes,” she told BBC Radio 4’s World at One.
“I think it is lazy and sloppy when we start making policies based on stereotypes which do badly stigmatise communities.”
Shuja Shafi, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, backed Cameron’s call, but questioned his tactics.
“The prime minister’s aim to have English more widely spoken and for better integration falls at the first hurdle if he is to link it to security and single out Muslim women to illustrate his point,” he said.
Sad news!
dis is the biggest disgrace even worse dan trump
How so? It cost a lot of money to support communicating in multiple languages and from a national security perspective, you’ve got to be able understand what individuals are saying or doing.
Citizens and permanent residents of a respective country should be able to speak the language of said country. Those people who refuse to learn English cost taxpayers a lot of money…
Lots of countries in Africa do it and they like to look at africa as primitive ..Spanish should be taught to U.S students
I don’t disagree with this either. However, don’t expect to the UK to promote the use of any other languages. They already want English to be the lingua franca for the world–subjecting others to use English for their principal communication and commercial language…
I wouldnt expect the U.K to promote any other language but to deport because they dont speak english is more than an insult.. Some brits talk so bad u haffi wonder how dem one a mutilate the queen’s language so.
I again agree with you. It is more than the inability for those people to speak English. As you can see, they are targeting Muslim women…
Yes but Muslim women hardly have a say so even if they learn english, how will that cut back on terrorism?
Met, they don’t have a voice in public; however, a Muslim man has to get married and procreate in an effort to garner paramount respect and the women are the first teachers; hence, if the women are assimilated, the children will be more assimilated…
Wtf
Relative to this, I agree with Cameron and he should not stop with Muslim women. This should apply every single person who seek to reside in the UK. Language fragmentation is a big issues and Cameron should do everything to mitigate such.
I live in an English speaking country and whenever I visit South Florida, because I don’t speak Spanish, I run into all kind of issues.
I remember one day I went to do a pre-employment drug screening and I came across a dude who not know how to read the requisite form much less being able to fill it out. He serves no true purpose in this English speaking country. It cost double and triple the money to publish documents min multiple languages–along with the need to hire additional staffing to facilitate/support a rising minority that does not speak English.
If this trajectory continues, those of us who don’t speak Spanish are going to run into a lot of road blocks…
But Lali U.S acquire Puerto Rico so Spanish should be part of the language in the US I believe ..jus cause a dat..Cameron as u know is a racist
I agree, Cameron is a racist and a xenophobe… Relative to Puerto Rico, I understand where you are coming from. However, you mean to tell me that it is too much to ask them to learn and speak English.
Met, how do you navigate Fordham Rd and the other areas of the Bronx that are dominated by Spanish speakers?
English is hard to learn for a Spanish speaking person and I am not saying they shouldnt but you will find them here for years and only know a few words just because in english one word means many things so its confusion that turns them off from learning. Miami has a more vast Spanish population than any area in New York. I dont know where you have been in New York but its not that bad that you wouldnt be able to communicate with them..but in Miami just driving by a house u will know if the person who lives there is Spanish or not…..and they are not too keen about learning English either
I am a Bronx yute and in the areas where Spanish is heavily spoken, an English speaker is regarded as an outsider. I am partial to the P. Rico reference; however, the use of multiple languages make it so that the cost for everything is at least doubled. I hate working with people who don’t speak English, it affects productivity big time.
I was up for a promotion one time and my superior told me that I to communicate as if English is my 2nd language. That was not okay with me. The Koreans, Indians and the other Asians barely spoke English and I am being asked to lower my level of communication to satisfy their limitations.
Hot air..The British pm is full of it.Always come up with something he knows the high courts will throw out.Always trying to please the racist.
It’s like 1933 all over Europe again.
The man is trying to repeat the mistakes of ancient Rome…
Correction: Trying not to repeat the mistakes of ancient Rome that is…
Why would I want to go to live in a country and not learn its mother tongue? sounds wretched to me. How many non-Muslim person speak Arabic or Turkish or whatever these immigrants speak? I do have an issue with Cameron saying they will be deported because not everyone is able to thoroughly master the English language no matter how many classes they go to or their integration, but yes all immigrants of England should learn the language. How do they even survive not knowing English? The constant dependence on others is not going to cut it. Plus they will be more marketable for higher paying jobs if they are fluent in language. Muslim women as we know are heavily influenced by their husbands/ male relatives. So if these males are extremists/terrorists they can easily convince them to take part in terrorist activities. Let them learn English so that they will be able to read and understand and make judgements for themselves. A second language is a wonderful thing to have, to develop their confidence and decision making, also to report their husbands when he beats them cause them get whole heap a that.
This is exactly what it is, Muslim men don’t want their women to assimilate; hence, learning English is not important to them. If the women were to speak fluent or commanding English, they will become inclined to be indoctrinated–likewise, their children will become more integrated in society…
Lali, you and Met had a good exchange up top and Anon at 2:08 ramped up by referencing the way Muslim women are excluded from society through intimidation and abuse because they aren’t able to speak the common language of the country they migrate to; they are unable to protect themselves from an abusive life at home and play a less important role in how their english speaking children lives.
Who told you that Muslim women are heavily under their husbands? People talk bullshit when they do not know much about other people’s culture or religion. You get up and take what social media and the media show you and run with it. Kmt.
I for one…I’m born and raised in Jamaica. With a very good job and an education behind me. I’m Muslim and I have been married to a Muslim for over 8 years now. Never has he nor his family try to control me. Never has he even put his hand on me. Never has he ever controlled what I do. What I wear. What friends o have. Where I go.
There is a huge difference between a good true Muslim and an extremist. The media tends to show the most deprived areas in Jamaica on television which had lead a lot of people to think that Jamaica is a violent and hungry Island filled with murder…but it’s not entirely true. Jamaica is one of the most beautyful Islands on earth. I have brought a lot of friends from all over the world to Jamaica and they are shocked as to how much Jamaica is full of polite and lovely people. How much Jamaica is developed etc. They do the same with Africa and I have been to over 16 Countries in Africa.
As for English it’s good for everyone to try and communicate in the given countries language however some people are of age and we all know it’s easier to teach a child a new language than an adult. Moreover EVER ONE is an immigrant at some point. Learn your facts before you bash other people. Just because the press said so don’t mean it go so.
Cameron fava fart!!! Dat statement is as racist as he is :marah While I agree that residents SHOULD speak English, I’m at a loss as to why Muslim Women are the center of his folly. Why not say all non-English speaking persons should acquire a reasonable command of the English language. His ISIS theory is a load of crap and he knows it…:travel
Thank you. My point exactly. Why muslim women? Why not just say every imigrant. Thank you for saying what I was thinking . Some people are ignorant. I bet he or she is an imigrant too
So if all migrants should learn English what about EU migrants, I.e. Polish, Romanian, French, German, etc for whom English is also not their first language? Will they continue to print materials in their mother tongue or only the Muslim languages cost money? And what about the Indians, the majority of whom are not Muslims? Cameron is a pig f**ker! What else can muslim women expect from him?
Now you see what’s going on…
anyone who is not from this england is at risk of being radicalised. I speak perfect English and I’m able to read better than a lot of British born people, that does not make me feel included in a society that constantly marginalises anyone who does not share their idealogy. When second British born second generation Muslims who speak perfect English are leaving to fight jihad abroad, then there can be no doubt that the language or lack ther of is not the problem. Kmt
Same here in the U.S a dem own citizens a become radicals and there is no language barrier nothing. Im wondering if Cameron a dare isil
Just like Christians or Jews who share a common faith are not all the same in their practices, neither are all Muslims. The West knows that it’s mainly the Sunni Muslims largely supported by Saudi Arabia that’s responsible for most terrorists acts yet they continue to marginalise all Muslims while refusing to denounce those responsible for roughly 2/3 of all terrorism to cover for their mistakes of old.
The Iranian backed Shiite Muslims likewise subscribe to radicalism…
@met Spanish is the second language in America when u r Appling for job they have the application in Spanish n English
Max, where in America you find a job application in Spanish?
por favor me dirija a `el.
Below is a quote taken from a report prepared for members of congress by the Congressional Research Service. The quote refers to the viability of a United islam ‘The religious, ethnic, linguistic and socio-economic diversity that exist within the global Muslim community present significant challenges to the reemergence of centralised, pan-sectarian and widely recognised religious leadership’ therefore, persecuting all Muslims for the actions of some is unjustified.
source
https://fas.org/irp/crs/RS21745.pdf
Thank you for sharing that link; please note that the West use their knowledge as it relates to the difference between the Shiite and the Sunni to exploit them both. One thing about the West, they are great at gathering information and they are not doing to benefit the individuals of the respective regions/countries. It is all about the control or the respective regions and countries.
The CIA know more about Jamaica than we do–mark my word on that…
Lalibela my bredda I respectfull disagree with u. Cameron’s ploy remind me of Hitler’s final solution!! Once you start abusing ppl’s civil liberties it is a slippery slope to totalarianism. There is no evidence linking Muslim women not speaking English being indoctrinated by ISIS as a result. Where is the research to show how teaching them English will negatively impact ISIS? Be careful this pigfcuker is on the verge of starting race riots/wars with his rhetoric!!
yardielovethug, I don’t agree with why Cameron is doing that which he is doing. However, I know that supporting multiple languages cost and does create fragmentation and counter productivity. In this case, the messenger is so dubious that everything that he utters has to be vetted extensively.
Relative to the trampling of the targeted women’s human rights, I am bothered by the blatant attack/targeting of only target Muslim women. What’s worst, is that he does not have to mask his intention to only target Muslim women.
Further adding to my concern is the fact that he is doing this, knowing that he has the support of the people British people. Yes, this brings us back to the earlier part of the last century when attacking Jews was a sport…
Lali soon there will be war on Christianity……that is what its boiling down to
Met, if yuh really check the levels, they are currently grouping all people who believe in the Almighty in the same category that they group Star Wars and Star Trek fans–they are all labeled as fanatics who believe in fictional things.
This is why countries like Jamaica will be repealing its buggery laws. The so called first world no longer subscribe to religious tenets. Religion no longer contain the masses and as such, it is no longer a useful currency.
If yuh tell some people seh yuh a Christian right now, they will laugh after you and lose all respect for you.
A just so di thing a go yah now. Just as you stated Met, new laws and wars will cripple Christians and all religious people. This is why people are going to start denying their faith and belief in the Almighty.
its simple if yuh want come ah the ppl dem place follow dem rules or stay yuh ass where your not getting a fight can’t blame the ppl dem fi a protect dem place
@Lalibela I am well aware of how the West has used their knowledge and resources to keep the Muslim world divided, I’m also aware that around 1/3 of terrorists acts are committed by radical shi’ites, referring to the same link, if you look at all the countries where the report states have significant Shia Muslims, I.e Iran, Yemen, Afghanistan, Irag, Syria, etc, that is where most of the west resources against terrorism has been targeted, yet as the world know, there are more Sunni terrorists that Shias. Also note that while Saudia Arabia also has a large Shia population, there have been no attacks on Saudi Arabia.
Very interesting; however, I hope you know why that is the case?