UK sliding into ‘nationalism’ thanks to far-right threat, Sajid Javid warns
BRITAIN is sliding towards “nationalism” thanks to the threat from the far-right, Sajid Javid warned today.
The Home Secretary demanded a “national conversation” to tackle extremist – as he criticised President Trump’s controversial comments telling Democratic congresswomen to “go home”.
In a speech earlier he said that other countries have seen more radical figures get into power – after being supported by populists and racists.
“Around the world populism, prejudice – and even open racism – have catapulted extremists into power,” Mr Javid said.
“Thankfully our politics has not gone down the same road as much of Europe and the US, but we must act now, to avoid sliding into the barely masked racism of nationalism.”
But he stopped short of labelling the US President as racist.
His words come after President Trump was blasted earlier this week for lashing out at a group of Democrat congresswomen, saying they should “go back” to the “crime infested” countries they came from.
“I am deeply concerned about the polarisation we’re seeing in parts of the US, some of the naked populism we see and chants of ‘send her back’,” Mr Javid said, pledging that the UK would be a “critical friend” to American allies.
And he called on politicians to “moderate their language”.
Politicians from around the world have come out to criticise his comments, including Theresa May who said they were unacceptable.
Leadership hopefuls Boris and Hunt blasted him too.
Boris said his comments were “inappropriate” and “unacceptable in a modern multiracial country”.
“You simply cannot use that kind of language,” he added.
Meanwhile Mr Hunt said his words were “totally offensive”.
Today Mr Javid told of his experience dealing with racism growing up, which has shaped his thinking on countering extreme views.
“I would change my route to school to avoid members of the National Front,” he admitted.
“I watched my mum, time and time again, scrub the word ‘Paki’ from the front of our shop and, rightly or wrongly, as a child I punched a bully who used the same racist slur to my face.”
But Mr Javid urged people not to label the Brexit Party as extremists or demonise anyone with different views – to avoid fracturing Britain’s political system even further.
“Even though his Brexit Party has not made my life any easier, I want to be clear – they are not extremists,” he said.
And he praised Nigel Farage for walking away from Ukip as it lurched to the far-right working with Tommy Robinson and other controversial figures.
“I applaud Nigel Farage for walking away, calling Ukip ‘thugs and extremists,” he added.
He also defended Boris – who he is backing for the leadership – when he made offensive remarks about women wearing burkas looking like letterboxes.
Corbyn 'threatened to sue' Sajid for calling out anti-Semitism from supporter on Twitter
By Martin Beckford, Whitehall Editor
JEREMY CORBYN threatened to sue Sajid Javid for appearing to suggest he was a Holocaust denier, it has emerged.
The astonishing libel warning was revealed by the Home Secretary as he accused Labour of an “aggressive” denial of its anti-Semitism problem.
In a major speech on rising extremism in the UK, Mr Javid said: “Last week’s Panorama, which found systematic failures in Labour’s attempts to investigate and root out anti-Jewish racism, was deeply shocking.
“It showed a culture of denial rather than sincerity in rooting out the problem. This overly defensive – or even aggressive – approach shouldn’t surprise me.
“The leader of the opposition even tried to sue me last year, for calling out an anti-Semitic tweet from one of his supporters.
“This has to end now. Because if the people sitting in Parliament don’t show moral leadership and tackle extremism, how can we expect the rest of society to?”
Sources said the legal threat from Labour leader Mr Corbyn came exactly a year ago in response to a Twitter spat.
A Corbyn supporter had claimed the Labour “speaks the truth” and went on to ask “whether the Jewish Holocaust is real”.
In response, Mr Javid tweeted: “How can you even question the Holocaust. Please think carefully about what you are saying. Don’t be misled by Corbyn.”
He was angrily challenged including by shadow cabinet member Clive Lewis, who said: “Are you seriously accusing Jeremy Corbyn of being a Holocaust denier? Seriously I’d apologise, detract and wind your neck in.”
Mr Javid later wrote: “Corbyn is not a Holocaust denier. I am happy to make that clear.”
But until today he had never revealed that he had been threatened with legal action over the tweet.
A Labour source confirmed that Mr Javid issued the clarification after being sent a legal letter.
MOST READ IN POLITICS
His speech came on the same day as research showed that far-right protests are attracting the biggest numbers in the UIK since the 1930s.
Mr Javid also revealed he would block some businesses and organisations from sponsoring migrant workers – starting with activist group Cage – as part of plans to combat extremism.
The Home Secretary said he has personally prevented eight extremists from entering the country, including a white supremacist, a black nationalist from the US, and hate preachers from a number of faiths.
A Cage spokesperson said: “By diverting public attention away from the abject failure of the CCE, Javid chose to praise the bigoted Nigel Farage and demonstrated he cannot understand, nor tolerate, the long-standing tradition of dissent that has shaped Britain.”
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online politics team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours