Blair said there was no need to scrap multicultural Britain, in which different communities live side by side.

 

"On the contrary we should continue celebrating it. But we need -- in the face of the challenge to our values -- to reassert also the duty to integrate...," he said.

 

Race relations are under the spotlight in other European countries. France bans Muslim headscarfs and other religious garb from state schools while the Dutch government agreed last month to ban the wearing of Muslim face veils in public.

 

A debate over the use of full veils by some Muslim women has also gripped Britain.

 

Blair, who has previously called the veil a "mark of separation", said on Friday it was common sense that "when it is an essential part of someone's work to communicate directly with people, being able to see their face is important".

 

 

 

So being able to see their face is important, but it's not important for us to see your face Mr. Blair while you're away on your yacht with George Dubya Bush while hurricanes and tsunamis kill thousands? Fool. So, once all of the foreign immigrants have conformed to the British way of life, we'll have EVEN MORE unmarried 13 year old mothers, ASBO kids with their hoods up in summer, hanging around on street corners polluting the atmosphere (while getting Playstations and goodies for lasting a whole day in school!). Great.

WE HAVE A PERSON WHO READS BOTH THE DAILY MAIL AND THE SUN!!!!!

 

Dont believe the hype!

people are discriminated because of the colour of their skin every day and have less chances to get a job and blair's talking about 'continue celbrating diversity'? :thinking:

 

muslims are a targeted group in britain no matter if they do or dont wear a veil, so its a pretty ridiculous statement in my opinion.

 

i have to disagree with you about teenage pregancy though. i think that's an issue for non-british people as well. i cant judge the situation in the whole country but it definitely was one where i lived.