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Racism and fascism - in brief (6)

01 July 2007

UK: BNP backs Labour minister on "indigenous" housing: The British National Party's (BNP) leader, Nick Griffin, expressed his approval on BBC's Newsnight programme for a suggestion made by the Labour Party MP for Dagenham and Barking, Margaret Hodge, that council housing should be "rationalised" to prioritise "indigenous families" over migrants. Hodge, who was the Industry minister until Gordon Brown took over as leader of the Labour Party in June, was defended by the outgoing prime minister but criticised by some activists in the Labour Party. She echoed the well-rehearsed BNP arguments in May, stating that the "legitimate sense of entitlement felt by the indigenous family overrides the legitimate need demonstrated by the new migrants." Bearing in mind that asylum seekers and new economic migrants are not entitled to council housing it is clear that Hodge envisages a two tier system in which, what she described as "my white families", would be catered for on one level with migrant families second in line, behind them. The BNP won 12 council seats in Hodge's constituency last year. Hodges' remarks on housing were quickly followed up by comments by Labour MP, Hazel Blears, who said in early June that she was "very worried" that migrants are "undercutting wages". She claimed that she was only reflecting the view of her constituents when she asserted that migrants were indulging in anti-social behaviour and street drinking. Her stereotypes were dismissed by Simon Woolley, director of Operation Black Vote, who said: "There is absolutely no evidence migrant workers are drinking on the street and most people would accept migrant workers are doing a good job..."

Independent 21.5.07; Independent on Sunday 10.6.07; Operation Black Vote http://obv.org.uk