Islamaphobia and Homophobia - What are the Labour Party playing at?

12.17.13pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 18th Oct 2006

Are the Labour Party trying to woo the BNP vote or are they just becoming even more intolerant and authoritarian (if possible!). There is an increasing move to legal Islamaphobia and Homophobia - the Government could well be guilty of inciting racial hatred with some of the recent outbursts.

Apart from everything else the Labour Government has done to annoy Muslim voters, and indeed other Asian voters, such as conducting an illegal War in Iraq, dithering over Israel's invasion of Lebanon and the proposed introduction of Identity Cards (which they admit will result in more Asians and Black people being stopped and searched), they have now got involved in a row of the veil and asking lecturers to spy on University students.

Jack Straw has gone on record as saying Muslim women should not wear the niqab, Gordon Brown, Harriet Harman and Tessa Jowell have all come out in support of Straw and Blair seems to have agreed. Education Minister Phil Woolas has also intervened demanding a teaching assistant be "sacked" for wearing a veil at work. The Conservatives have joined in to with their Home Affairs spokesman David Davis saying that British Muslims are risking "voluntary apartheid".

The Government is also reported as having asked universities to spy on 'Asian looking' student - this goes far beyond Muslims, and indeed Asians to Asian-looking people (a term I have never heard before). This of course follows the Government asking mothers to report their children. This is not the way to win hearts and minds!

As for Homophobia, Liberal Democrat Equalities spokesperson Lorely Burt MP has called on Ruth Kelly to resign. Ruth Kelly has proved that although she is the Minister dealing with equalities she has been absent from every important vote on gay equality since Labour came to power in 1997 and is blocking plans to require organisations to provide services to people whatever their sexual orientation. The conflict with her own personal beliefs mean she cannot undertake the role of equalities minister properly. Of course Blair supports her, not seeing the the obvious problems there for all to see.