VIDEO: Cantle report: Blackburn a divided town

9:00am Friday 8th May 2009 in Blackburn Photograph of the Author By Tom Moseley, Reporter

POLES APART: The Cantle Report says Blackburn is a divided town with Asian areas like Whalley Range POLES APART: The Cantle Report says Blackburn is a divided town with Asian areas like Whalley Range

BLACKBURN is one of the most ethnically divided towns in the country - and segregation is increasing, according to a major report.

The shock conclusions follow a six-month study involving hundreds of people from across the borough.

Ted Cantle, a leading authority on community cohesion who led the Government 's review into the race riots of 2001, called for an urgent "step change" in the way the authorities tackle the problem to break down the barriers.

His stark warning includes a range of recommendations in an attempt to bring white and Asian people together in neighbourhoods, schools and workplaces.

These included faith schools reconsidering their admissions policies, and he warned that unless action was taken the borough would end up with completely segregated schools.

He also recommended using planning strategies to create mixed housing estates and taking steps to help Asian families feel safer in 'white areas'.

And Mr Cantle called for the creation of public spaces where all people could feel safe, initiatives to bring different communities together and a campaign to promote the benefits of greater integration in schools.

Council bosses have vowed to join forces with all sections of the community and act on the report to implement Mr Cantle's aims.

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But the message went out to the people of Blackburn that is them who really need to help bring about the change.

On the deepening segregation, Mr Cantle said: "This isn't something a council has done, but the people who have done it are the people of Blackburn. This is the challenge to the people of Blackburn.

"Do we want to see children growing up in separate communities in 2009 where they have no understanding of people from a different faith?

"They are growing up in a global world so it is essential we provide children with these opportunities.

"Blackburn with Darwen has done some things correctly, but there is now an opportunity for further improvement. Young people are demanding change.

"They want opportunities to move across the community and have contact with different people and not feel restricted by some older generations.

"There is an opportunity for Blackburn with Darwen to be a national leader but it does depend on the community support."

Launching a summary of his report at Ewood Park yesterday, Mr Cantle said people from different backgrounds were separated in every area of their lives.

The borough's schools were more segregated than the communities they represented, he said, with half of pupils being selected on the grounds of faith.

Mr Cantle reported that "white flight" - the relocation of white residents from some parts of town - was still taking place.

Communities continued to live "parallel lives", not coming into contact with each other, he said.

Mr Cantle praised some of the council's recent initiatives aimed at bringing people together, but said more had to be done.

He cited a number of 'tensions' which were making things worse, including deprivation, police action to tackle violent extremism, the growing impact of the recession and the rapid increase in the Asian population.

Mr Cantle said: "There are growing levels of segregation and division in the population. These divisions have been growing over decades and will take some decades to deal with.

"Many of the communities have the tendency to live in separate worlds and have no contact with people from other backgrounds and people grow up suspicious and in fear other others.

"They are there, they are large, they are apparent.

"We have to grasp the nettle and break down these divisions.

"That isn't just divisions between white and Asian people but between ages and different parts of Blackburn and between minority communities, such as Indian and Pakistani communities."

On the problems facing the borough's children, he said: "Segregation in schools is very, very noticeable and it's increasing year by year. Unless we take some action now we will end up with almost completely segregated schools.

"It's possible to say that in future, people really won't have the choice."

Mr Cantle, who will release the full version of his report next month, called on the council's multimillion pound Building Schools for the Future programme to bring students from different backgrounds together, and criticised faith schools, which he said were "automatically a source of division which have to be overcome."

In his report he singled out older community leaders as being a barrier to young people and women mixing between communities, branding them "gate keepers".

The recession facing the country is making things worse, Mr Cantle said: "Tensions can become quite severe if parts of the community think they're being hard done-by."

Blackburn with Darwen Council chief executive Graham Burgess praised the jobs" target="_blank">work of his council and said they had commissioned the report because they wanted to go from 'good to excellent'.

He said the report would provide "a springboard for action."

He said: "We have always worked hard, but nevertheless we know if we do not change, we will get into trouble.

"I am confident we can rise to the challenge."

Blackburn MP Jack Straw said: "This is a really important report with a lot of strong recommendations, but I don't think we should be panicked about this.

"There is a good deal for us to be pleased about with jobs" target="_blank">work that is already going on but we must not be complacent and we must build on this. "

Blackburn's police commander Superintendent Andy Rhodes said: "I think the report gives a very accurate reflection of how complex the communities in Blackburn are and it raises some very good points about how the public authorities engage with people on the broadest level. "

Council leader Mike Lee said: "I think it is a good report and a lot of it we were already aware of.

"I think we will find it a challenege but it is not just about the council.

It is also the local strategic partnership and the people as well."

Comments(63)

milty says...
9:56am Fri 8 May 09

Seriously what do you expect, people are tribal by nature and that doesnt matter where you come from. The dreamers idea of a world utopia are on the wrong planet, people live where they want to live, and no one can force them to do otherwise. The only thing that as happened to England over the last 40 years or so is to balkanise us, these multiculturists have made a complete mess of everything sticking there noses into peoples ways of life and trying to change them, theve left England with a very uncertain future and personally i dont see a happy ending.

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easymonies says...
11:20am Fri 8 May 09

Talk about twisting words.

There is nothing in the report that says muslims are fearful of living in predominantly white areas. In fact reading between the lines it is saying there are lots of problems withing the muslim community because of tribal differences.

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Mike says...
12:43pm Fri 8 May 09

It's time the authorities recognised and acknowledged that there is a sizable minority of Muslims in our community who are not interested in integration and so called special initiatives, costing the tax payers £0000's, are a complete waste of time.
Politicians and planners have created a time bomb in areas where fundamentalism is now rife and hatred of the "infidel" is smoldering under the surface. Preachers of hate have been allowed work permits over the past few years helping to create the myopic community that now exists in many areas of town.
The political parties have lost control and candidates for local government are chosen on the basis of their ethnicity and tribal origins, selections not necessarily being made even in this country.
With most of the marriages being international, spouses and children not speaking English, how will integration ever be fullfilled?

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andyc6uk says...
12:46pm Fri 8 May 09

"create mixed housing estates and taking steps to help Asian families feel safer in 'white areas'. "

Thats funny because Panarama reported the exact opposite

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Owain Glyndwr says...
12:50pm Fri 8 May 09

I have seen this Davide at first hand during my 6 years living in Darwen 2003-2009 and I found that I was living in Aden and the Yemen were I served in the British Army, and I must say the Yemenis Islamic Muslims treated their own as if they were animals and their Islamic Koran (Bible) taught how to hate and bewilder the rest of the Non-Islamic World Muslims live in a tribal environment and they will fight for their own and even fight tribe against tribe similar to the Red Indians of North America, I have a few local Muslim friend's in Darwen and found them O.K, I say O.K because they were more westernised than most Muslims, they were the Civilised minority of the Islamic faith.

Have thought for the Citizen's of the Netherlands (Holland). In 1909 there were 54 Muslims in the Country, in 1960: 1.399, 1990: 458.587, 2004: 944.067, and in 2007 a massive 54.000.000+ Million Muslims. That is nearly 70% of the population of Holland. the way this world is going it will taken over by these tribal Muslims as they bread like rabbits & animals and in some cases act like animals.
Blackburn with Darwen will never change unless the good British Citizens stand firm and address which way will the British Isles go, one way is to say, "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH" this is my Britain and we do not wont you HER.

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Nelly. says...
12:59pm Fri 8 May 09

Is it just me, or is the word Muslims not mentioned in this article at all?? ASIANs - meaning anybody Hindu's, Sikhs, and yes i know a number of Christian ASIAN's. But once again everyone has to turn it to muslims. Get over it.

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Nelly. says...
1:00pm Fri 8 May 09

Is it just me, or is the word Muslims not mentioned in this article at all?? ASIANs - meaning anybody Hindu's, Sikhs, and yes i know a number of Christian ASIAN's. But once again everyone has to turn it to muslims. Get over it.

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maj3091 says...
1:06pm Fri 8 May 09

Is the report trying to tell us something the majority of us didn't already know?


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timeforcommonsense says...
1:07pm Fri 8 May 09

Let's be realistic. A race and culture that encourages people to hide behind 'burkha's' and places constant demands on their host country, expecting changes in the law and constantly being shown and expecting preferential treatment, doesn't show a great deal of interest in cohesion. In fact their culture demands conversion not cohesion. Of all the different races, cultures and religions that have chosen to settle in this country, theirs is the one that has expected the most change to the exsisiting rules and laws.

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Mike Costa says...
1:20pm Fri 8 May 09

Mike Costa says:

The report seems to state the blindingly obvious.
Although Mr Straw, who I usually have a great deal of time for, says that there are many good recommendations, I don't see what they are.
Blackburn long ago went to Hell in a handcart. The place is truly awful. Its a mix of in-fighting asians (Indians despising Pakistanis and vice versa), entrenched White prejudice and befuddled local government planning.

Sometimes, an ethnic minority can be victimised. That is, of course wrong. However, in Blackburn, whatever we are being told, there appears to be two roughly similar sized communities (White and Asian). That really is a recipe for disaster on a Belfast scale. It only needs the idiot element, and there are plenty of them, to decide to take the law into their own hands, and any talk of integration will be seen for the farce that it is.

I dont know what the answer is, but Im equally sure that it isnt to be found in a glossy report that doesnt really get to the root of the problems.

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easymonies says...
1:27pm Fri 8 May 09

Nelly. wrote:
Is it just me, or is the word Muslims not mentioned in this article at all?? ASIANs - meaning anybody Hindu's, Sikhs, and yes i know a number of Christian ASIAN's. But once again everyone has to turn it to muslims. Get over it.
You need to take you blinkers off. The report clearly states - 'The Asian community is equally divided between Indian and Pakistani people, but almost all are Muslim, making it the third largest Muslim population in the country.'

So get over it.

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Mike Costa says...
1:32pm Fri 8 May 09

Mike Costa says:

Timeforcommonsense does have a valid point regarding the ridiculous wearing of Burkhas. My understanding, please correct me if Im wrong, is that it is usually the parents of the ladies husband who insist that these ridiculous garments are worn. It has no religious significance, and on a baser level, is a fashion disaster. If ever anything was designed to stick 2 fingers up to the indiginous population its this stupid fad. And they know it. And they continue to do it.
A fial point on my little hobby horse - how can they drive safely with this silly hood on? They can't possibly have any peripheral vision.

Apart from the above .... live and let live, I say!!

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wackyracer says...
1:48pm Fri 8 May 09

The article mentions "taking steps to help Asian families feel safer in white areas". What about steps to make white people in areas that become more Asian, feel safer and less isolated. That way white flight might not be such a problem.

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wackyracer says...
1:49pm Fri 8 May 09

The article mentions "taking steps to help Asian families feel safer in white areas". What about steps to make white people in areas that become more Asian, feel safer and less isolated. That way white flight might not be such a problem.

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wackyracer says...
1:52pm Fri 8 May 09

can you sort out your e-mail so that it does not crash when i try to send a comment, Ta.

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wackyracer says...
2:02pm Fri 8 May 09

can you sort out your e-mail so that it does not crash when i try to send a comment, Ta.

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Catweazle-Gary says...
2:12pm Fri 8 May 09

Well it`s not Rocket Science is it, how much has this survey cost the tax payers??
It`s a pity the Asians of Blackburn don`t turn-up to watch the Rover every home game, I know for a fact when they go-to visit friends and relatives in other towns and Country's they ALWAYS brag about the Rovers being in the Premiership!
Maybe it could help pull this Town together because Sport especially Football is a Global language.
If we cold get the same % of Asians as the same as the White people of Blackburn and surrounding areas Ewood Park would be full to bursting every home game, you would even have people asking you if you had a spare ticket to sell!
I remember when we played Leicester in the play-off Final I had NEVER seen as many Asians at a football match in all my 40 odd years of watching football,But they were all supporting Leicester City! so it can be done but will the Asians of Blackburn Rovers do the same????????

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yamthejam says...
2:56pm Fri 8 May 09

Calm down people, is it jealousy or envy that drives these people to jump on the Muslims. The young Muslims of Blackburn these days are well educated, they are doctors, lawyers, pharmacists, dentist etc etc. They don't breed like rabbits and animals as one comment said. I bet the person who said that has menial job and lives in a damp rented council house and just plainly jealous. Integration? What happens when an Asian family decides to buy a house in an dominantly white area? They start moving out! I rest my case

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midas says...
3:21pm Fri 8 May 09

I don't know if its just me but I find a burkha quite "sexy". There is something intreging about just seeing the eyes; the hint of the exotic etc. I am sure thats not the intended outcome!!!

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yamthejam says...
3:35pm Fri 8 May 09

Catweazle-Gary wrote:
Well it`s not Rocket Science is it, how much has this survey cost the tax payers??
It`s a pity the Asians of Blackburn don`t turn-up to watch the Rover every home game, I know for a fact when they go-to visit friends and relatives in other towns and Country's they ALWAYS brag about the Rovers being in the Premiership!
Maybe it could help pull this Town together because Sport especially Football is a Global language.
If we cold get the same % of Asians as the same as the White people of Blackburn and surrounding areas Ewood Park would be full to bursting every home game, you would even have people asking you if you had a spare ticket to sell!
I remember when we played Leicester in the play-off Final I had NEVER seen as many Asians at a football match in all my 40 odd years of watching football,But they were all supporting Leicester City! so it can be done but will the Asians of Blackburn Rovers do the same????????
I go to watch rovers and I was there in play off finals and the worthington cup final!!!!!

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Owain Glyndwr says...
3:42pm Fri 8 May 09

wackyracer wrote:
can you sort out your e-mail so that it does not crash when i try to send a comment, Ta.
I agree with with you wackracer, I have sent 2 comment just after Nelly When the Total was 11, can you Mr Lancashire Telegraph explain why you have not printed our comments? I would like to Know but I very much that you will answer, you wont have the BOTTLE.

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Brother of all says...
3:44pm Fri 8 May 09

yamthejam wrote:
Catweazle-Gary wrote:
Well it`s not Rocket Science is it, how much has this survey cost the tax payers??
It`s a pity the Asians of Blackburn don`t turn-up to watch the Rover every home game, I know for a fact when they go-to visit friends and relatives in other towns and Country's they ALWAYS brag about the Rovers being in the Premiership!
Maybe it could help pull this Town together because Sport especially Football is a Global language.
If we cold get the same % of Asians as the same as the White people of Blackburn and surrounding areas Ewood Park would be full to bursting every home game, you would even have people asking you if you had a spare ticket to sell!
I remember when we played Leicester in the play-off Final I had NEVER seen as many Asians at a football match in all my 40 odd years of watching football,But they were all supporting Leicester City! so it can be done but will the Asians of Blackburn Rovers do the same????????
I go to watch rovers and I was there in play off finals and the worthington cup final!!!!!
if look at majority of the rovers homes games there are quite a lot of asians going to watch them. And there are a number of asian stewards too!

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Brother of all says...
3:45pm Fri 8 May 09

yamthejam wrote:
Catweazle-Gary wrote:
Well it`s not Rocket Science is it, how much has this survey cost the tax payers??
It`s a pity the Asians of Blackburn don`t turn-up to watch the Rover every home game, I know for a fact when they go-to visit friends and relatives in other towns and Country's they ALWAYS brag about the Rovers being in the Premiership!
Maybe it could help pull this Town together because Sport especially Football is a Global language.
If we cold get the same % of Asians as the same as the White people of Blackburn and surrounding areas Ewood Park would be full to bursting every home game, you would even have people asking you if you had a spare ticket to sell!
I remember when we played Leicester in the play-off Final I had NEVER seen as many Asians at a football match in all my 40 odd years of watching football,But they were all supporting Leicester City! so it can be done but will the Asians of Blackburn Rovers do the same????????
I go to watch rovers and I was there in play off finals and the worthington cup final!!!!!
if look at majority of the rovers homes games there are quite a lot of asians going to watch them. And there are a number of asian stewards too!

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Izanears says...
4:31pm Fri 8 May 09

All Cantle has done is given another stick to those who are already intent on beating us to submission.

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A Game of Blue & White Halves says...
7:21pm Fri 8 May 09

Catweazle-Gary wrote:
Well it`s not Rocket Science is it, how much has this survey cost the tax payers?? It`s a pity the Asians of Blackburn don`t turn-up to watch the Rover every home game, I know for a fact when they go-to visit friends and relatives in other towns and Country's they ALWAYS brag about the Rovers being in the Premiership! Maybe it could help pull this Town together because Sport especially Football is a Global language. If we cold get the same % of Asians as the same as the White people of Blackburn and surrounding areas Ewood Park would be full to bursting every home game, you would even have people asking you if you had a spare ticket to sell! I remember when we played Leicester in the play-off Final I had NEVER seen as many Asians at a football match in all my 40 odd years of watching football,But they were all supporting Leicester City! so it can be done but will the Asians of Blackburn Rovers do the same????????
There's more to life than channelling all your energy to watching a GAME of football!

Report this post »

A Game of Blue & White Halves says...
7:22pm Fri 8 May 09

Catweazle-Gary wrote:
Well it`s not Rocket Science is it, how much has this survey cost the tax payers?? It`s a pity the Asians of Blackburn don`t turn-up to watch the Rover every home game, I know for a fact when they go-to visit friends and relatives in other towns and Country's they ALWAYS brag about the Rovers being in the Premiership! Maybe it could help pull this Town together because Sport especially Football is a Global language. If we cold get the same % of Asians as the same as the White people of Blackburn and surrounding areas Ewood Park would be full to bursting every home game, you would even have people asking you if you had a spare ticket to sell! I remember when we played Leicester in the play-off Final I had NEVER seen as many Asians at a football match in all my 40 odd years of watching football,But they were all supporting Leicester City! so it can be done but will the Asians of Blackburn Rovers do the same????????
There's more to life than channelling all your energy to watching a GAME of football!

Report this post »

A Game of Blue & White Halves says...
7:24pm Fri 8 May 09

Catweazle-Gary wrote:
Well it`s not Rocket Science is it, how much has this survey cost the tax payers?? It`s a pity the Asians of Blackburn don`t turn-up to watch the Rover every home game, I know for a fact when they go-to visit friends and relatives in other towns and Country's they ALWAYS brag about the Rovers being in the Premiership! Maybe it could help pull this Town together because Sport especially Football is a Global language. If we cold get the same % of Asians as the same as the White people of Blackburn and surrounding areas Ewood Park would be full to bursting every home game, you would even have people asking you if you had a spare ticket to sell! I remember when we played Leicester in the play-off Final I had NEVER seen as many Asians at a football match in all my 40 odd years of watching football,But they were all supporting Leicester City! so it can be done but will the Asians of Blackburn Rovers do the same????????
There's more to life than channelling all your energy to watching a GAME of football!

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portolibero says...
7:28pm Fri 8 May 09

St Mary's College is proof that we can all live together and integrate well - we just need to be open, polite and a little more understanding of each other.

There is a level of intolerance on both sides of the border because of a fundamental lack of contact and understanding. Now much of the town lives segregated in a climate of fear. I admire Jack Straw for taking on the full face veils - now he needs to stand up and help lead us into the future as a culturally harmonious town.

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NoPolitics says...
8:10pm Fri 8 May 09

I recall Enoch Powell's "Rivers of Blood" speech many years ago. I recall thinking he was a scare monger without tolerance, however, I look at life through experienced eyes and I wiould predict that Blackburn will be 80% Asian in another 20 years and all but 100% in 30 years. Will the last one out turn off the light

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Muttley says...
8:22pm Fri 8 May 09

The report states: "This isn't something a council has done, but the people who have done it are the people of Blackburn”.
When were the people of Blackburn ever given a choice in this, or even the opportunity to voice their legitimate concerns without being labelled ‘racist’? I have a question for Mr Cantle : would he be happy to live in the centre of Blackburn or to send his children to the local schools? I suspect he lives in a beautiful area, with good schools etc, etc – it is so easy for all these ‘do-gooders’ to preach from their Ivory Towers with no conception of what it is like to live in an area like this.
Personally, I feel like a foreigner in my own town & I have had enough of it and so I’m trying to emigrate. If I am successful in moving to a new home land I shall expect to abide by the philosophy of ‘when in Rome, live as the Romans do’. Am I racist? I really do not care about the colour of a person’s skin, culture or religion – but if feeling like I am the outsider in my home town makes me a racist, then I guess I must be.

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mazx4 says...
8:37pm Fri 8 May 09

im not being funny but take alook at blackburn , theres that many asians its hard to see a white person asians are helping to kick white people out our homes becouse they have so many children my hubby delivered a suit to an asian house that had been knocked thrugh to the other house theres also a rumer that us council tax payers dont only pay for police and fire bragade but a small per goes to the mosques if this is true we need to stand our ground as why should we pay for them but they dont pay for our churches ,they drive around in flash cars im sorry but have they heared of the injection pill

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mazx4 says...
8:45pm Fri 8 May 09

its not going to be long were all whites are pushed out and white will have to abide by there rules as will be an asian community ,we will be forsed into there religian like hell im christian and will stay we need to fight this as its unfair that the goverment supports asians more than there own kind they now have 2 times mosques up intack area and my child was took to the mosque to learn about them im sorry but why cant they do a trip were they go to church no 1 rule for them and another for us whites this country is sick and think ill go abroad were there not to soft a here is i feel an outsider to know the feeling

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mazx4 says...
8:53pm Fri 8 May 09

ok o how many white people are in asia and other asian countrys none.but look there all coming over here becouse its soft look at the asilum seaker who killed a young girl aged 12 from higher croft he had 2 kids just so he could stay and got away with murder and hes been aloud that just proves they get away with stuff

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Hopping mad says...
8:53pm Fri 8 May 09

Do you not suspect that money is going to be thrown at the asian community again, perhaps councillor mulla will get his wish for money to be spent on his house after all. I am sick of us being told what to do by politically correct people telling me what to do, I live where I want to live, mingle with whoever I want to mingle with and pay through the nose to that choice. SO LEAVE US ALONE and get back to where you came from. Also you might want to ask, are you happy with the money that you've taken from us deprived people to write such controversial and inciting of hatred piece of utter rubbish?

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Hopping mad says...
8:54pm Fri 8 May 09

Do you not suspect that money is going to be thrown at the asian community again, perhaps councillor mulla will get his wish for money to be spent on his house after all. I am sick of us being told what to do by politically correct people telling me what to do, I live where I want to live, mingle with whoever I want to mingle with and pay through the nose to that choice. SO LEAVE US ALONE and get back to where you came from. Also you might want to ask, are you happy with the money that you've taken from us deprived people to write such controversial and inciting of hatred piece of utter rubbish?

Report this post »

Hopping mad says...
8:54pm Fri 8 May 09

Do you not suspect that money is going to be thrown at the asian community again, perhaps councillor mulla will get his wish for money to be spent on his house after all. I am sick of us being told what to do by politically correct people telling me what to do, I live where I want to live, mingle with whoever I want to mingle with and pay through the nose to that choice. SO LEAVE US ALONE and get back to where you came from. Also you might want to ask, are you happy with the money that you've taken from us deprived people to write such controversial and inciting of hatred piece of utter rubbish?

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Muttley says...
10:02pm Fri 8 May 09

This country grew rich off Lancashire ( back when it included Manchester & Merseyside). Look at us now, we are the pits of England, its embarrasing to say you come from Blackburn not to mention how difficult it is to live here. As for the Government - they have well and truly shafted us - oh, and by the way, this is caused by the people of Blackburn. I dont agree with the BNP, but for goodness sake, is it any wonder they are supported when nobody else will listen?

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retired one says...
10:27pm Fri 8 May 09

We are not being taken over, we have been taken over when the emphasis is on helping Asians to feel safe in White areas, instead of making the indigenous people feel safe in OUR country.
Which Asian country would put the safety of foreigners before their own population?
The answer is none of them.
This used to be Great Britain but it is now the cess-pit of Europe.

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judge1 says...
10:31pm Fri 8 May 09

Never mind integrate how about exterminate.

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amir says...
11:13pm Fri 8 May 09

I agree with the reader who says the report is a waste of time and money.
People will live where they want to and socialise with whoever they want.
Maz I think you need to get your grammar and spelling sorted,
utter disgrace.

There are areas in Blackburn where asians & whites live together.

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amir says...
11:15pm Fri 8 May 09

I agree with the reader who says the report is a waste of time and money.
People will live where they want to and socialise with whoever they want.
Maz I think you need to get your grammar and spelling sorted,
utter disgrace.

There are areas in Blackburn where asians & whites live together.

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amir says...
11:15pm Fri 8 May 09

I agree with the reader who says the report is a waste of time and money.
People will live where they want to and socialise with whoever they want.
Maz I think you need to get your grammar and spelling sorted,
utter disgrace.

There are areas in Blackburn where asians & whites live together.

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Kev says...
11:38pm Fri 8 May 09

Hopping mad wrote:
Do you not suspect that money is going to be thrown at the asian community again, perhaps councillor mulla will get his wish for money to be spent on his house after all. I am sick of us being told what to do by politically correct people telling me what to do, I live where I want to live, mingle with whoever I want to mingle with and pay through the nose to that choice. SO LEAVE US ALONE and get back to where you came from. Also you might want to ask, are you happy with the money that you've taken from us deprived people to write such controversial and inciting of hatred piece of utter rubbish?
Bang on!

Another case of do as I say, not as I do.

How many Aisians do you count amongst your best friends Mr. Cantle ?
How many are your near neighbours?

Is anyone, at any point, going to realize that the endemic population have no problem with immigrants who integrate properly, never have.

How many Polish, Chinese, Irish or Jamacian have you seen in the headlines, with their hands out wanting something for nothing, or bending the law of the land to accommodate their primitive belief system?

You freeloaders may not appreciate that every gravy train needs an engine to pull it; Don't be too surprised when you are thrown off and told to make your own way home!

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Kev says...
11:38pm Fri 8 May 09

Hopping mad wrote:
Do you not suspect that money is going to be thrown at the asian community again, perhaps councillor mulla will get his wish for money to be spent on his house after all. I am sick of us being told what to do by politically correct people telling me what to do, I live where I want to live, mingle with whoever I want to mingle with and pay through the nose to that choice. SO LEAVE US ALONE and get back to where you came from. Also you might want to ask, are you happy with the money that you've taken from us deprived people to write such controversial and inciting of hatred piece of utter rubbish?
Bang on!

Another case of do as I say, not as I do.

How many Aisians do you count amongst your best friends Mr. Cantle ?
How many are your near neighbours?

Is anyone, at any point, going to realize that the endemic population have no problem with immigrants who integrate properly, never have.

How many Polish, Chinese, Irish or Jamacian have you seen in the headlines, with their hands out wanting something for nothing, or bending the law of the land to accommodate their primitive belief system?

You freeloaders may not appreciate that every gravy train needs an engine to pull it; Don't be too surprised when you are thrown off and told to make your own way home!

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enty 46 says...
12:27am Sat 9 May 09

yarnthe jam says that all the asians are educated and are doctors etc. then we must have a lot of educated geniuses in the area.he should have gone to specsavers if he sees like that.And as for NOT breeding like rabbits has he been to the maternity unit lately
its about 5 to 1 in their favour pal that must mean something!

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Political Watch says...
2:58am Sat 9 May 09

Ted Cantle is in essence a council worker, who graduated in sociology – as Maureen Lipman would say he’s got an ‘ology’, which does not qualify him for any profession. His experience is confined to local government in Labour controlled Manchester, Leicester and Nottingham, and he is critical of communities carrying on parallel lives. He is referring to the Asian community and the failure of their large numbers the assimilate into our society, this being brought about by political neglect. Many other foreign nationals have been integrated into our community because they have wanted to be British, but the Asian nationals wish to remain Pakistani or Indian and in consequence they are isolationist within our country and have created ghettos. Cantle is not an historian although he must know of, but has failed to recognise, what has occurred in the Indian sub-continent, the various religious groups there have proved to be incapable of peaceful co-existence. Consequently India in 1947 was partitioned into Pakistan – West and East (the latter to become Bangladesh) and India.
Cohesion does not appear in the dictionary of individuals emanating from the Indian sub-continent. Leicester is the first city in the U.K. where immigrants now exceed 50% of the population. I see this as a grave danger, my view of Cantle (which is not a British name) is that he is a Labour party apologist and propagandist. He is endeavouring to minimise and present a remedy for the problems. We know that in Iraq, Shi’a and Sunni Muslims are diametrically opposed, we do not need any type of religious extremism in our country.

We have seen the state of Kosovo created within Serbia, could this happen in Britain?

Brown should recognise he is not up to the job and should call a General Election.

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Old Timer says...
3:57pm Sat 9 May 09

Pity I won't be here to see what some here have forecast about our future in this country. It does have me worried for the future of my grandchildren as they have nothing to do with wars in the middle east and Afghanistan. You can be assured it will be thrown in their faces by certain members of our community just as the Irish have the same thoughts about Britains involvement in Ireland....and like with Ireland all stirred up
by religion and politicians for which my grandchildren have no deep interest. They just want to get on with a life in which they made no decision about entering this world.. another injustice.

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ranimuk says...
4:21pm Sat 9 May 09

Once again another report into how Blackburn is a segregated town and after reading the comments on this page is it any wonder? Instead of getting the knives out as usual why don't people suggest reasonable and realistic ways in which the Asian community can integrate instead of the usual 'mass breeding', flash car and mosque jibes.

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ganja man says...
4:26pm Sat 9 May 09

Where are the decent and good people who contribute to this forum to condemn the fascists and racists?

Perhaps you all agree with these views posted here?

Judge 1, the word exterminate, that you used is what the NAZIS did to the Jews during the 2nd World War.
This clearly illustrates where the idealogy and end goal of BNP supporters like him is going to take them if they are left unchecked.

Leave the comments on here so all people can "Judge" the likes of Judge 1 and his fellow comrades.

in the words of one poster David these are ordinary people expressing their own views, not racists.

Leave you all to make your own mind up.

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let down again says...
8:22pm Sat 9 May 09

And of course the main people guilty of "white flight" are the staff at the Council. They talk about cohesion and belonging, but most of them have left town cos they don't want to live in a mixed community.! White and middle class - until you change this you will never change the way they deal deliver services and develop policy!

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well wisher says...
11:09pm Sat 9 May 09

whether your, black, white, brown, pink, hindu, muslim etc..... I feel the biggest feeling comes from the heart, we are are all HUMAN - we might believe in different gods, faith, culture but we are all HUMAN AND NO BODY CAN CHANGE THAT CAN THEY??? All cultures/backgrounds go through more or less the same experiences, yet we just desguise it because of our colour/race, which i think is just rediculous - face the facts "HUMAN NATURE WILL ALWAYS BEAT ANY CULTURE/RACE" for eg. lets say a different Eastern country and a different Western country got together and decided to destroy the people of Blackburn, then what would you do besides saving your selves - every culture/race would be in the same boat then, wouldn't they!!!! So maybe we should be positive about community cohesion, surely it cant be the end of the world!!!!

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justicejoan says...
11:21pm Sat 9 May 09

White middle class move away from mixed areas. They are guilty of white flight.

Council officers, teachers,police,lawy
ers,doctors,journali
sts,...........

all move leaving the lower social classes who cannot move.

Working classes let down by the middle class who make policies. They are guilty for the mess we are in.

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Mike Costa says...
3:33pm Sun 10 May 09

mazx4 wrote:
ok o how many white people are in asia and other asian countrys none.but look there all coming over here becouse its soft look at the asilum seaker who killed a young girl aged 12 from higher croft he had 2 kids just so he could stay and got away with murder and hes been aloud that just proves they get away with stuff
Mike Costa says:

I'm not sure what an "asilum seaker" is, but whatever they are, Im betting they have a better command of English than you do.
Instead of complaining about your lot in life, try and get an education (or is that ejicashun?)

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jaxw17 says...
4:48pm Sun 10 May 09

Dump the veil. This is one of the most devisive acts that has increased dramatically since 9/11.
The wearing of the veil is not founded in relegious teching but being used to incite unrest. It is being worn mainly by 2nd and 3rd generation Asian women. Jack Straw tried to instigate healthy debate but was shot down.
Remove the veil and remove physiacal and percived barriers.

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grumpyoldlady says...
5:15pm Sun 10 May 09

When someone new moves into the street it is nice to be able to say hello and pass the time of day. When that person doesn't speak English or is covered from head to toe in black so you cannot see any expression on their face it makes things rather difficult. I suggest that some Asian people might have to try a little bit harder to integrate, if that is really what they want to do.

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RK says...
5:33pm Sun 10 May 09

Perhaps if both sides of the community were treated equally then we'd both get on better. Unfortunately the Asian side usually gets the better deal, fact not fiction.

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upandunder says...
7:09am Mon 11 May 09

It as taken how much for this report to be done???
The previous Labour administration that ran the Town , knew and actively encouraged segregation over the years. I myself was on the end of this "pro active racism" living in the Moseley St area , an area that was predominantly white and was Ignored and neglected for years. It deteriated to such an extent that something had to be done.
They put part of it into the Queens park ward , and then announced massive housing investment in that ward. Bet you can guess which part of that ward had millions spent on doing up the homes (just take a look where the ward councillors lived!), and which part ended up with the mass theft of property (compulsary purchase)by the council for demolition, thus creating an expansion for the neighbouring Queens Park ghetto into the Infirmary area when the new houses are built.

As for white flight, did Maureen Bateson herself not take part in this when she moved from Oxford close to Kings road, Mill Hill? which at the time had a bnp councillor.

Luckily for me it gave me the chance to get out of the corrupt racist cesspit of a town and its Labour councillors and move abroad.

For anybody who has the time to look into things like planning applications, purchase of propertys that all of a sudden become subject to compulsary purchase etc some very interesting names crop up concerning the redevolpment of housing in Blackburn, particularly private landlords.

Like i have said in previous posts Asians should not take the blame for what has happened in Blackburn , it is down to the PC correct do as i say , not as i do Labour administration that killed a once great town, and Jack Straw who was frightened to death of losing a substantial part of his votes.

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upandunder says...
7:09am Mon 11 May 09

It as taken how much for this report to be done???
The previous Labour administration that ran the Town , knew and actively encouraged segregation over the years. I myself was on the end of this "pro active racism" living in the Moseley St area , an area that was predominantly white and was Ignored and neglected for years. It deteriated to such an extent that something had to be done.
They put part of it into the Queens park ward , and then announced massive housing investment in that ward. Bet you can guess which part of that ward had millions spent on doing up the homes (just take a look where the ward councillors lived!), and which part ended up with the mass theft of property (compulsary purchase)by the council for demolition, thus creating an expansion for the neighbouring Queens Park ghetto into the Infirmary area when the new houses are built.

As for white flight, did Maureen Bateson herself not take part in this when she moved from Oxford close to Kings road, Mill Hill? which at the time had a bnp councillor.

Luckily for me it gave me the chance to get out of the corrupt racist cesspit of a town and its Labour councillors and move abroad.

For anybody who has the time to look into things like planning applications, purchase of propertys that all of a sudden become subject to compulsary purchase etc some very interesting names crop up concerning the redevolpment of housing in Blackburn, particularly private landlords.

Like i have said in previous posts Asians should not take the blame for what has happened in Blackburn , it is down to the PC correct do as i say , not as i do Labour administration that killed a once great town, and Jack Straw who was frightened to death of losing a substantial part of his votes.

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upandunder says...
7:10am Mon 11 May 09

It as taken how much for this report to be done???
The previous Labour administration that ran the Town , knew and actively encouraged segregation over the years. I myself was on the end of this "pro active racism" living in the Moseley St area , an area that was predominantly white and was Ignored and neglected for years. It deteriated to such an extent that something had to be done.
They put part of it into the Queens park ward , and then announced massive housing investment in that ward. Bet you can guess which part of that ward had millions spent on doing up the homes (just take a look where the ward councillors lived!), and which part ended up with the mass theft of property (compulsary purchase)by the council for demolition, thus creating an expansion for the neighbouring Queens Park ghetto into the Infirmary area when the new houses are built.

As for white flight, did Maureen Bateson herself not take part in this when she moved from Oxford close to Kings road, Mill Hill? which at the time had a bnp councillor.

Luckily for me it gave me the chance to get out of the corrupt racist cesspit of a town and its Labour councillors and move abroad.

For anybody who has the time to look into things like planning applications, purchase of propertys that all of a sudden become subject to compulsary purchase etc some very interesting names crop up concerning the redevolpment of housing in Blackburn, particularly private landlords.

Like i have said in previous posts Asians should not take the blame for what has happened in Blackburn , it is down to the PC correct do as i say , not as i do Labour administration that killed a once great town, and Jack Straw who was frightened to death of losing a substantial part of his votes.

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Makka123 says...
2:19pm Wed 13 May 09

Can I suggest an alternative to the Bukha? Instead of a black, obtrusive design that alienates the wearer from the rest of the population, how about a see through model of the popular religious easy wear? Obviously, you can wear what you like underneath. Also, consider the "Mini-Burkha". It worked for skirts in the 70's. It could work for the people of Blackburn. Forward thinking is what is needed.

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Makka123 says...
2:46pm Wed 13 May 09

We have already given our coutry away. It is too late. No point moaning about it now. Brothers, sisters, let us come up with a true alternative. Let us take over Saudi Arabia. Let's all buy caravans, move over there, blast Oasis out from our campers, get drunk, fight, and breed like Nitro rabbits. I bet things will change then.

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Faithless says...
7:42pm Thu 14 May 09

Why was my comment removed?

All I said was vote bnp to get rid of johnny foreigner.

With the riddance of such, we will have to close our hospitals 3 days a week because of lack of doctors?

What is wrong with that?

If you don't believe me, read the latest report published in the British Medical Journal. We already have a shortage of doctors due to immigration laws being made more stringent.

I want Owain or Akon to be my doctor.

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Harley.B. says...
9:27pm Thu 14 May 09

judge1 wrote:
Never mind integrate how about exterminate.
What a moron. It's because of retards like this that people are frightened of expressing their freedom of thought and speech from fear of being classed racist ,when they should be entitled to their views. Views incidentally that are common throughout towns and cities which have areas containing substantial populations of immigrants,not only in England but also in my experience throughout western Europe. And i also wonder where "owain" gets his facts from about The Netherlands having a 70% muslim population of 54 million ? Correct me if i'm wrong,but I believe The Netherlands total population is under 17 million ,which if only 30% were non-muslims ,would mean that the non-muslim population hasn't changed for 100 years or so - Amazing. Spurious facts and the judge1's hate filled drivel really dont help anyone. By the way i'm a born and bred Blackburn lad living in The Netherlands at the moment and i get back to Blackburn around half a dozen times a year and people seem to have no confidence in the way the town is going . Sad .

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