The theologian who accused Robert Jenrick of xenophobia on the BBC has invited the shadow justice minister to work with him to ease tensions over migration relatively than “ramping up anti-immigrant sentiment”.
Dr Krish Kandiah’s feedback on Radio 4’s Thought for the Day, elevating considerations about Jenrick’s remarks concerning the security of his daughters due to small boat arrivals, induced a row after a criticism from the shadow justice secretary, with the merchandise being retrospectively edited by the BBC.
Kandiah expressed concern concerning the present environment referring to migration and mentioned he was extending an olive department to Jenrick within the hope the 2 males may work collectively on the difficulty.
The preliminary remarks by Kandiah, who heads the Sanctuary Basis refugee charity, prompted an indignant response from Jenrick. The BBC mentioned it had eliminated “some of the language used” by Kandiah from a model of Thought for the Day posted on-line, saying it was not applicable for the faith-based radio phase.
In his assertion, Kandiah mentioned: “Mr Jenrick, I want your daughters and mine to be able to walk down the road safely and without fear. I worked with you when you were housing minister and the UK welcomed over 200,000 people from Hong Kong.
“I was grateful for your support and compassion during that time. I would love to find a way we could work together to de-escalate the fear and anger many are feeling in our country. I believe we need to focus on the real challenges that are making people worried – housing, jobs and the cost of living – rather than ramping up anti-immigrant sentiment.”
In final weekend’s Mail on Sunday, Jenrick cited a sequence of current crimes he mentioned had been dedicated by asylum seekers, writing: “When I see these stories, I can’t help but think that it could have been one of my three young daughters. I certainly don’t want my children to share a neighbourhood with immigrant men with backward views who broke into Britain illegally, and about whom we know next to nothing.”
In his Thought for the Day contribution, Kandiah quoted this passage from Jenrick, including: “These words echo a fear many have absorbed. Fear of the stranger. The technical name for this is xenophobia.”
Whereas the federal government has not criticised Jenrick’s tone, and say the present row is a matter for the BBC, some MPs and others have mentioned Kandiah’s description was correct.
The Labour MP John McDonnell mentioned: “Jenrick has become the byword for political opportunism. There is no prejudice he won’t pander to and no harm to our community he won’t risk to further his political career.”
Siân Berry, the Inexperienced MP for Brighton Pavilion and a former co-leader of the occasion, condemned Jenrick for his feedback and the federal government for not talking out towards them.
“It is 100% xenophobia, drawing on stereotypes to create unnecessary and inaccurate fears,” she mentioned. “If you can’t call that xenophobic or racist without the person in question kicking off at you, then I don’t know what we’ve learned from the last 80 years.
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“Robert Jenrick knows exactly what he’s doing when he is pushing these buttons, and he does need to be called out on it by everybody possible. I’m daily frustrated by the fact that the Labour government is playing along and not standing up for real British values.
“What is [a] Labour government for if it isn’t to create a political discourse that backs up what British values really stand for. We’re not a country that rejects immigrants in the way that some people on the right and the far right would like us to.”
Jacqueline McKenzie, the top of immigration and asylum at Leigh Day solicitors, known as Jenrick’s feedback “appalling”. She mentioned: “Not only are his comments xenophobic and without substance, but this is the sort of language that fuels racist tension in an otherwise cohesive society and causes the sorts of attacks on migrants and those who work with them as we are now seeing, and which fans the flames which led to last summer’s riots.
“It is irresponsible for a senior member of the opposition to make such statements. Whereas there are a few high profile cases of asylum seekers who have been arrested for sexual offences, this is not at all representative of those who claim asylum, the vast majority of whom go on to prove that they have fled persecution.”
Jenrick’s workplace has been contacted for remark.
