U.K.: RADICAL MOSLEMS MUST INTEGRATE INTO BRITISH SOCIETY

Radical Muslims must integrate, says Blair
· PM backs attempts to limit wearing of veil in public
· Praise for Tories over progress on race relations
Will Woodward, chief political correspondent
Saturday December 9, 2006

Tony Blair yesterday told radical Muslims that they had a "duty to integrate" into British society and warned them they could not be allowed to override what he described as the country's core values of democracy, tolerance and respect for the law. "Our tolerance is part of what makes Britain, Britain. Conform to it; or don't come here. We don't want the hate-mongers, whatever their race, religion or creed," Mr Blair said.

In a speech to an invited audience in Downing Street, Mr Blair offered his most explicit support yet of attempts to limit the wearing of the Muslim veil in public and said ethnic and religious groups who want grants from the state would have to show they were promoting cohesion and integration.

While endorsing the concept of multiculturalism - which has been criticised by, among others, Trevor Phillips, chair of the Commission for Racial Equality - Mr Blair argued: "For the first time in a generation there is an unease, an anxiety, even at points a resentment that our very openness, our willingness to welcome difference, our pride in being home to many cultures, is being used against us; abused, indeed, in order to harm us."

Faith schools are to be required to abide by guidelines on teaching tolerance and respect for other faiths, and will be encouraged to twin with schools from different religions. The Equal Opportunities Commission is also looking at how to address the ban on women in some mosques, and the government has announced a crackdown on foreign imams by requiring them to have a proper command of English before they are allowed to enter the UK.

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1) Radical Muslims must integrate, says Blair