published Daily Mirror 20/4/01

by Brian Reade

My nana was born in Dublin, my Granddad in Italy.

I live in a city whose wealth was built on the back of the slave trade, has the oldest Chinese community in Europe and half of its population is descended from the Irish.

My two nearest newsagents are called Abdul and Omar, the local chippy is Greek, the three nearest restaurants are run by Chinese, French and Italians, and the Afro-Caribbean barman in my local serves me Danish lager.

And my God, it makes me feel proud to be British.

Proud to live in a city whose unique personality is built on the unique contributions made by immigrants.

The place is Liverpool, but it could be any other metropolis in the land. Because today our cities are huge melting pots, churning out music, fashion, writing, culture, sporting and business genius, food and an attitude which makes Britain more vibrant than it has ever been.

When Robin Cook spoke yesterday about the immense contribution immigrants make, he spoke for me and, I believe, most of us.

How heartening to hear a politician celebrate the true essence of what it means to be British in the 21st Century.

How refreshing to hear an MP refuse to play to the bigots' gallery and instead expound on the vast benefits immigration has brought.

How crucial to the country's well-being that he says it at a time when Tory MPs are pandering to that rag-bag collection of Little Englanders, EU haters and xenophobes.

MPs like Sir Richard Body, whose book, England For The English, describes multiculturalism as a dangerous threat to our unity.

Or John Townend who blames rising crime on immigrants he claims are "undermining our Anglo-Saxon society".

(Anglo-Saxons were the ones who raped, pillaged and subjugated the British.)

Maybe Tory Central Office should build Mr Townend a Tardis to enable him to go back a full millennium to his "pure" ancestors.)

And in the middle of this nauseating mess, Tory chairman Michael Ancram has urged all prospective candidates to bury any racist thoughts. Well until the election is over at least.

Last month William Hague, in a bid to gain popularity on the back of asylum-seekers, warned Britain was in danger of becoming a "foreign land".

Words which led British National Party leader Nick Griffin to say: "The Tories are playing the race card in far cruder terms than we could use, which legitimises us."

I have never agreed with the BNP before but I do here. One of the major reasons the Tories have lost people's confidence is the continual playing of the race card.

It may appease leader writers on right-wing newspapers, and the vociferous bigots on their backbenches, but it goes against the grain of modern British thinking.

We are a tolerant, well-informed multi-racial society which has the intellect to separate legal immigrants from illegal asylum-seekers. A forward-looking people who appreciate that controlled immigration is vital to a successful economy.

Our economy demands more people than the market can supply. Our birth rate is low and our economy growing. We will need all the workers we can get to make the economy competitive. Look how immigration has made Australia and the US boom.

A minority of British people still persist in an illogical fear of foreigners. Our country's history is about the movement of people, whether it be fleeing oppression, pursuing a healthier economy, or simply a better way of life. We Brits do it all the time.

The most successful countries are the ones who have capitalised on that movement. We are one of those.

And there is no reason why multiculturalism should diminish our own sense of identity. I am British because I was born here, my parents and children were born here.

I like the way the Scots, the Welsh, the Irish, the Indians, Jews and every other race have their own identity within their Britishness and celebrate it. And if the English want to make St George's Day a Bank Holiday I'll be the first to dance around a Maypole.

So long as can enjoy one of the finest dishes to be invented on these islands.

The chicken Balti.