Category Archives: Left Wing

Exploding breast implants scare story is resurrected

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Under the headline “Breast implants suicide bomb threat: Heathrow on high alert over ‘credible’ intelligence”, the Mirror reports on a supposed al-Qaeda terror plot.

The Mail for its part goes with the headline “Women suicide bombers hide explosives in their BREAST IMPLANTS as terror experts fear al-Qaida will target flights out of Heathrow”, while the Express has “Airports on high alert over women armed with bombs in their BREAST IMPLANTS”.

As Richard Bartholomew points out, this marks the latest incarnation of a story that first appeared back in 2009 and appears to have just as little substance now as it did then.

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Majority opposed to hijab in French universities

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Figaro hijab polls

Le Figaro reports that an Ifop poll it commissioned has found that almost eight out of ten people in France are opposed to the wearing of the headscarf or veil in university classrooms. It quotes Jerome Fourquet of Ifop as stating that this represents a similar level of opposition to the hijab that has been found in previous polls on this issue.

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Valls stands by veil ban

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Manuel Valls (2)Interior Minister Manuel Valls defended on Monday France’s ban on wearing full-face veils in public places after a police check on a veiled Muslim woman sparked riots in a Paris suburb at the weekend.

The 2010 law was brought in by conservative former president Nicolas Sarkozy and targets burqa and niqab garments that conceal the face rather than the headscarf that is more common among French Muslim women.

A police check on a couple in the southwest suburb of Trappes sparked an angry confrontation that led overnight on Friday to a police station being surrounded by several hundred people, some hurling rocks. Another building was torched in several hours of street violence that led to six arrests.

“Police did their job perfectly,” Valls told RTL radio. “The law banning full-face veils is a law in the interests of women and against those values having nothing to do with our traditions and values. It must be enforced everywhere,” he said.

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Labour council rejects disabled man’s Ramadan fast help plea

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A disabled man who is unable to feed himself has said his local council is refusing to pay for two hours of extra care to help him fast during Ramadan.

Imraan Adam, from Derby, has cerebral palsy and is fed his meals by carers. He said in order to fast between sunrise and sunset he needed additional help very early in the morning. Derby City Council said his request was denied because of its “challenging” financial status and because he already got a “substantial level of support”.

Mr Adam, who graduated from the University of Derby with a first class journalism degree, said: “I can’t do anything with my hands and I need to be physically fed. It means I have to come up with the money myself – or I can’t fast.” He said it would cost about an extra £30 a day – the current weekly cost of his support is nearly £2,000.

In previous years the city council has paid for the extra care.

BBC News, 5 July 2013

Dog whistle politics in Tower Hamlets

Posted on by Bob Pitt

This is a crosspost from Socialist Unity

Contrary to the right-wing myth that it is being transformed into “Britain’s Islamic Republic”, the east London borough of Tower Hamlets is in reality a highly diverse place. Residents of Bangladeshi heritage comprise 32% of the total population according to the 2011 census, only slightly more than those describing themselves as “White British”, who make up 31.2% of the borough’s population, while those in the third largest category, “White Other”, account for a further 12.4%. Muslims are the largest religious group, but at 35% of the population they are heavily outnumbered by people of other faiths and none.

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Tower Hamlets: Labour accused over ‘inflammatory’ housing claims shared by EDL supporters

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Lutfur Rahman talks to mediaLabour has been accused of making “inflammatory” claims after supporters of far right group the English Defence League circulated allegations that mayor of Tower Hamlets Lutfur Rahman prioritised supporters when allocating funding for home improvements.

The accusation that Independent mayor Mr Rahman targeted areas represented by his supporters followed the release of figures highlighting discrepancies in where renovations under the Decent Homes Programme have been completed since elections in 2010. The information was circulated by EDL supporters on social networking site Twitter.

A spokesman from the mayor’s office described Labour’s accusations as “inflammatory”, while cabinet member for housing Cllr Rabina Khan added: “The irresponsible and dangerous claims made by Labour have found their audience and are now doing the rounds with the EDL to stoke up fear within the community that some residents and areas are more deserving than others.”

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PQ delays introduction of Charter of Secularism

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The Parti Quebecois government, already involved in a political battle to toughen the province’s language law, has placed another emotionally charged identity issue on the back burner.

The government has delayed its plan to set limits on religious accommodations until the fall and even begun referring to it in less contentious terms.

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