In response to Baroness Flather

In light of the recent comments by Baroness Flather, which I was pretty concerned and frustrated by, I felt the best way to release the anger was to blog about it.

Flather, a member of the Conservative party and who sits in the House of Lords, is part of an elite group of Asian women who have had this honour.  The highlights of the beginning parts of her career was her entrance into the House of Lords wearing a Sari.  According to Wikipedia she has also been Asian Who’s Who Asian of the Year 1996. In addition she has also served senior posts in various organisations involved in refugee, community, race relations and prison work.

Her comments for me brought up several issues.  For those who are not sure as to her comments, her main claims were that:

• Pakistani and Bangladeshi families have large families in order to claim benefits and council houses
• Pakistani and Bangladeshi families do not encourage their children into education , therefore I would assume she believes the ‘circle’ would continue
• Pakistani and Bangladeshi families have not become a part of British culture in the same that Indian and Jewish immigrants have, the comparison based on the basis that all four sections of the community arrived to Britain at the same time.

A letter by Baroness Flather in, surprise surprise, the Daily Mail.