David Cameron went to Balsall Heath, a surburb of Birmingham, to spend a night with Abdullah and Shahida and their three children. On his first day David Cameron went to the local mosque where he had a conversation he describes as "really fascinating (and in some respects extremely worrying)." He reiterates the point that the easy shorthand "Islamic terrorist" makes Muslim's feel "they mean us" but he also worries about the denail he found:
"In some parts of the community, yes. In the mosque and elsewhere I got the familiar depressing questions about who was really responsible for 9/11 and even 7/7. Dig a bit deeper and it all comes out. “CIA plot…Jews told to leave the twin towers” - even when it comes to 7/7 “how do we know the suicide bomber videos are real and not fakes?” Even if this is a view held by 5 or 10 per cent of British muslims - and I suspect it is at least that – this is a real problem which we have all got to get to grips with".
Abdullah and Shahdida's children go to the local Jewish primary school. When David Cameron questioned Abdullah he responded that he welcomed the school's faith and strong ethos. David Cameron writes:
"To those who think that faith schools are part of the problem and prevent us from building a more cohesive society this tale has a powerful message – far from being part of the problem, schools like King David’s are actually part of the solution. They can promote integration and cohesion, instil discipline, teach the basics, inspire young minds and raise their aspirations – all at the same time."
You can read David's blog posts fom his time in Birmingham here and here.
Below is a video of David Cameron's visit to the mosque.
Andrew Burkinshaw
Unfortunately, despite his best intentions (or those of his advisors) this will not be taken kindly by sections of the press or his political opponents.
Posted by: Curly | May 12, 2007 at 10:23
Did anybody else watch this programme (on a couple of days ago) where a taxi-cab was wired up so you could see where it could go? This was in Blackburn, and of course , both white and asian users of the taxi hardly (if at all) crossed into each other's 'separate community'. So much for multicultural 'Britain'. I think Cambo means well, but most people will switch off. If they do not want to mix they won't!I always think of that 'Daily Politics' skit where Giles Thingy was at a Birmingham area where a white family was living in an overcrowded flat. The council provided them with a modest upgrade to a different area. The householder said ' I ain't moving there. It's like Beirut'. Unsurprisingly, Giles did not need to ask what the woman meant!
Posted by: simon | May 12, 2007 at 10:45
I am no Cameron fan but I have to welcome trips like this. Mr C is bound to learn much more immersed in a visit like this than from a thirty minute face-to-face or briefing.
Posted by: Jennifer Wells | May 12, 2007 at 11:00
"I am no Cameron fan..."
Silly me - I hadn't noticed :-D
Posted by: Justin Hinchcliffe | May 12, 2007 at 11:59
A friend of mine (normally a Tory voter) showed me the Daily Mail this morning because she (and I) had been fooled into thinking Cameron had stayed at an ordinary house. The Mail had a photo of the extraordinary house he stayed in. He stayed with a very wealthy family in a very large house with a massive garden, while giving the impression he had stayed with a family that was representative of the ethnic community.
Posted by: Christina | May 12, 2007 at 12:48
He stayed with a very wealthy family in a very large house with a massive garden, while giving the impression he had stayed with a family that was representative of the ethnic community.
They are representative of Dave's Community......
Posted by: TomTom | May 12, 2007 at 12:55
Oh dear, can't Cameron do anything without some people (who hate him whatever he does) always questioning his motives?
If Cameron wants to be PM he will have to represent the views, dreams and wishes of as many people in this country as possible. This is one very good way of attempting to do that.
I wish I could praise the new Webcameron site as much - it looks awful!
Posted by: EML | May 12, 2007 at 13:54
Shock horror, Mr. Cameron stayed in a house owned by hard-working immigrants who had worked enough to purchase a nice home and are an example to those within their community but also to the many underachieving benefit sponge whites.
What a profoundly unconservative thing to do. Success should be a dirty word. Put everyone on the dole.
Posted by: matthew | May 12, 2007 at 14:00
You've missed the point. As the Mail puts it;
"It was billed as a chance for the Old Etonian Tory leader to spend time in an inner city Muslim community, one of the most deprived areas of the city and the home of its red light district, to find out how the locals 'tick'.
So he packed his toothbrush and pyjamas and left his £1million home in Notting Hill to 'spend some proper time out of Westminster'.
Yet rather than staying over in one of the run-down tower block flats in Balsall Heath, his hosts were the owners of a £500,000 six-bedroom detached home overlooking Warwickshire County Cricket Ground and on the edges of one of Birmingham's most desirable suburbs. "
It's the con trick he tried to pull, not the wealth of anyone - but you already knew that, didn't you!
Posted by: Christina | May 12, 2007 at 14:10
DC stayed where he was invited to stay. If he wasnt INVITED to stay in an "ordinary" muslim home,whose owners are usually labour or libdem supporters, then it wasnt his fault was it? In fact as Matthew said, a fa mily who had worked hard and succeeded in having a nice home invited him. Fine by me. Incidentally, that back wall is a mural, I suspect, not a huge garden. Murals are quite popular with Asian families.
Posted by: Annabel Herriott | May 12, 2007 at 14:33
So many of the postings are so anti-Cameron it makes you wonder if they want us to win the next election. I think he should be praised for seeking to understand the Muslim community rather than pronouncing from an ivory tower. Alongside global warming, the threat of terrorism is arguably the most pressing issue we face. Many in the Labour party have spent the last 10 years taking pot shots at Blair and will be sorry when he's gone and they return to electoral oblivion. We should be backing Cameron and the progresses we have made in the polls to date. The party is moving in the right direction and we are finally within a realistic position to regain power, the constant sniping from the sidelines is not helpful.
Posted by: Michael Hewlett | May 12, 2007 at 15:13
Found David Cameron's honesty in the points he raises about the problems of cohension and what needs to change on all sides a breath of fresh air.
Blair would have listened to his focus groups and press office then gone for the sound bite most likely to grab the headlines.
David Cameron appears to have with out any fanfare or media circus decided to do a bit more than that.
The fact that he chose to do it quietly and over the two days most likely to have gone unnoticed by the media speaks volumes about a genuine attempt to understand what is going on outside of the Westminster bubble.
Find the attempt by some to ignore the points he raises by concentrating on the cost of the house he stayed a bit petty.
Posted by: Scotty | May 12, 2007 at 15:46
When I first read the story, I had the impression that he was staying in some sort of ghetto so maybe it was slighty misleading, but I think the criticism is harsh. At least Cameron is making the effort to try and understand communities from within, rather than listening to self elected 'community leaders' who visit London. He should be applauded for that.
That is a mural at the back and not a garden.
Posted by: Andrew Woodman | May 12, 2007 at 15:50
Dave (and his family) can come and stay with me if he likes but I doubt very much if he would do.
Posted by: Bill | May 12, 2007 at 16:08
And the rest of the country's hard working white community can go hang I guess.
Posted by: Vote Freedom | May 12, 2007 at 16:19
"Vote Freedom"
For the last 30 years, the conservative party has ignored the very large part of the middle-class asian community who's been voting for them.
It's about time they got recognition.
Posted by: Jaz | May 12, 2007 at 16:26
and are an example to those within their community but also to the many underachieving benefit sponge whites.
That is pure racism.
You should be careful Matthew....making derogatory remarks about people based on their skin colour is illegal
Posted by: TomTom | May 12, 2007 at 16:37
VOTE FREEDOM
Good to see that it all takes is a story of Muslims to appear and the BNP are out blogging again.
We've not heard much from the BNP since the nation's wholehearted rejection of everything you believe in last week...
Posted by: Michael Hewlett | May 12, 2007 at 16:37
I hope that Mr. Cameron's advisor's are fully aware that they are going to have to probably change advice and tactics in the coming months, in order to avoid being buried by the clunking tractor that is already on its way!
Maybe the trip to Birmingham is a sign of things to come, getting down amongst the people is always a good thing - unless of course you can only use your fists! - but there does need to be contact with as ordinary people as possible, not just the more well-off members of the ethnic minorities.
Judging, only by what Brown is saying, he wants to be seen to be meeting the people as well, so ...... As a Scottish friend of mine e-mailed me after the latest elections vis-a-vis the political situation in Scotland - these are going to be interesting times! However Mr. Cameron needs to be on top of his agenda, and of course Brown's spinners will be doing all they can to 'wrong-step' Mr. Cameron.
Posted by: Patsy Sergeant | May 12, 2007 at 17:28
over 300,000 people voted for the BNP so not a whole hearted rejection. And if the muslims want to influence the British way of society maybe they should also use the ballot box and not the bomb.
But then again that is the only way you get recognition in this country just look at the Northern Ireland assembly and the way in which the police pussy foot about when investigating terrorism.
Posted by: Vote Freedom | May 12, 2007 at 18:11
Anyone got an explanation for this ?
Election Fraud Complaint
Posted by: TomTom | May 12, 2007 at 18:53
The last post by VOTE FREEDOM is an embarrassment for this site and should be deleted immediately.
Posted by: Robson | May 12, 2007 at 20:29
Aye truth hurts.
Posted by: Vote Freedom | May 12, 2007 at 20:33
What is so embarrassing. The actual truth of how over 300,000 people who could see through the tabloid and union led lies. Millions of pounds of money was pumped into a campaign which circumvented the electoral rules to not promote any party but to denounce one party.
The other parties have now all tried to jump on the band wagon you have Brown for Britain and David Cameron being glad about patriotic Britains voting for the Tories. Both these parties over the past 30 years and more have done nothing but destroy the country. One party privatised all the infrastructure allowing any foriegn company to own essential services such as power supply and rail networks and now banking sectors and service industries are being bought up striped and sold off.
Only a few things now are actually manufactured in the UK and even though we have a million people unemployed we allow a over whelming input of eastern europeans to come to the UK in such great numbers it actually changes the face of society. The Uk feels like a country being assimilated and no the GREAT nation it once was where it led the way.
Democratic process has become that of a third world banana republic with enough spoilt ballot papers to elect several members to the scottish parliament of 140,000. You have postal ballot papers being defrauded in the thousands with people from all the main three parties being arrested. Yet not one comment of any note in the national press. Yet if you have a party which is actually standing up for the rights of its own people, they are denounced with lies and contempt.
And since when has any independent muslim group actually come to the ballot box, yet they have set up seperate parliaments and sharia law courts all over the UK.
You have provisional IRA figures in the Northern Ireland assembly and yet it is the very thought of the BNP which is wrong.
This whole country stinks and it is the stench from the self rightous multi culturalists which is destroying this country. you have labour who loathe the very thought of class and so want a multual mix up. and you have conservatives who just enjoy the cheap labour.
People we no longer stand for this and can not be fooled for ever.
Posted by: Vote Freedom | May 12, 2007 at 21:12
Poor old "Freedom" his party was expecting a breakthrough but got nowhere.
No Margaret Hodge this time.
Posted by: 601 | May 12, 2007 at 21:23
It really is about time the idiot known as Vote Freedom was banned from this site.He is nothing more than a racist and stands for everything the party opposes.
Posted by: Jack Stone | May 12, 2007 at 21:55
Yet again if you don't like it crush it.
Glad to be living in such a free thinking society. If you agree you can be heard if you dis agree sit down shut get to the back of the class.
Posted by: Vote Freedom | May 12, 2007 at 22:12
Lets not forget Mark Leat BNP councillor from longton north atoke..who has been bought by the local tory party with a commitee seat and 7 and half grand pay rise.
Posted by: Vote Freedom | May 12, 2007 at 22:48
If the generations of former politicians had realised what the result of freedom of speech have been, I'm sure they would have made an exception for the BNP.
Maybe we should follow the spirit of VOTE FREEDOM and vote for freedom from having to read the rubbish that comes from the BNP who add nothing to the political debate.
Editor, how about an online vote on banning further racist views from CONHOME and permanently banning VOTE FREEDOM's IP address??
Posted by: Michael Hewlett | May 13, 2007 at 09:42
While it's up to the Eds what to do about overt racists like VF, it's not "crushing" free speech to ban someboy from a website that trolls against its purposes. Nobody is preventing VF getting a soapbox on a corner and spewing his bile. But sites have house rules, eg, profanity is not tolerated here although nobody would seek to ban it in a pub.
This is Conservative Home, ie not racist home, ukip home, bnp home. The BNP is everything we stand and fight against. Tories can be proud they opposed the BNP at the locals more than any other party. I know I am.
Posted by: Tory T | May 13, 2007 at 10:01
And as to Cameron, he and cchq did not pick the house; they were invited to stay there by the community group who picked the house. Simple good manners to go where you're invited. I applaud the initiative and his typically balanced comments, talking about Muslim disaffection that has some legitimate roots and distinguishing that from some of the "extremely worrying" talk he heard at the local mosque.
When did a politican last pack his toothbrush and stay in the community? Good for Dave.
Posted by: Tory T | May 13, 2007 at 10:07
If the generations of former politicians had realised what the result of freedom of speech have been, I'm sure they would have made an exception for the BNP.
How droll. Perhaps you should read some history. Freedom of Speech is NOT a GIFT from politicians - it is what men like John Wilkes fought for - "Wilkes Liberty & No45".
With people like Michael Hewlett wanting free speech only for his friends we can soon have a country like Vladimir Putin is building.
Posted by: TomTom | May 13, 2007 at 10:33
i have to disagree with Michael Hewlett: freedom of speech does apply to the BNP.
However freedom of speech applies to society, not to private blogs. In other words the government must not stop votefreedom being a hateful racist.
But OTOH, here on private property, there is no reason to tolerate him.
Posted by: matthew | May 13, 2007 at 10:46
Should we not be tolerant and even-handed? While applauding Mr. Cameron's efforts to understand the muslim point of view, is it not incumbent upon people here to listen to sections of our society who think differently? I presume they are all Britains and should therefore be given a voice -it's called democracy. I do not think it is helpful to dismiss Vote Freedom with scorn; his Party did have an increased percentage and I feel that the reason that they won less seats than expected was because voters feared letting Labour in if they voted for small Parties.
Posted by: Sue, Leicestershire | May 13, 2007 at 14:30
As a strong believer in the values espoused by Margaret Thatcher I do believe that Cameron's strength is his ability to think outside the box and then to have the courage to promote his views.
The generation of "oldies" ( I am one) do not like it but it is time to move on, times have changed after 10 years of Blair ( for the worse) and it is no use going back to our old solutions, we have to come up with new solutions that the younger generations relate to.
David Cameron is doing that
Posted by: Richard Calhoun | May 17, 2007 at 13:52