Casey Review: Will Muslims be blamed for non-integration again?

I’ve only had chance to read through the summary of the Louise Casey’s Review: A report into opportunity and integration, and so I don’t feel that I can give a full critique. But I do worry about what I’ve seen in the 18-page summary and the headlines of the review on, and in the news today, in particular the almost complete exclusion in the report of the prejudicial and toxic anti-immigrant climate in which we’re living in right now.

Casey’s main target for better social  integration is focused primarily on Muslim communities, and as she puts it, there some worrying elements that that community and wider society should confront, namely:

"high levels of social and economic isolation and in some places, and cultural and religious practices in communities that are not only holding some of our citizens back, but contrary to British values and sometimes our laws. Time and time again I found it was women and their children who were the targets of these regressive practices.”

Few would deny that there are certain elements under the broad umbrella of Muslim communities that could be improved.

But this often narrow focus on all Muslim communities in this climate can only have one major outcome: A continuing narrative that ‘Muslims, on the whole are a major problem within our society, and some of their practices are against British values.’

Some months ago Trevor Phillips  shamed himself, Channel Four, and the high standards of journalism with the most deplorable Muslim bashing documentary - 'What Muslims really think?' - in which he practically said

‘Muslims are really not like us, and we should be worried about it.”

The truth is that there are many religions and sub-sections within those religions that have practices that are regressive, in particular to women and minorities including: Catholic, Protestant, Judaism, Hindu, and Sikh religions. There are elements of culture within our mainstream society too that often view women little more than objects of desire, and/or hate. But none of the above is subject to the same onslaught that Muslim communities have to confront on a daily basis.

Within her summary Louise Casey completely ignores the political climate we’re in, which is almost impossible for a Muslim, much less a Muslim woman wearing a hijab who can easily  feel integrated in today’s British society. Even the former Prime Minister David Cameron argued:

"...it is a great British shame that a Muslim women cannot walk down the street without being abused or even spat upon”.

Why is there no mention of that, or the fact that during and after the Brexit referendum the overriding message from the Leave campaign was, ‘we want our country back’?  The truth is that post Brexit, Muslim women were probably the most abused section of the public with many bigots hurling abuse saying:

"we’ve won, now f...back to where you came from”. Whatever that meant; Bradford, Bethnal Green, Surrey?"

Almost in passing and with no serious recognition other than ‘we must do something about it', Casey stated in her opening remarks that in doing this report she'd  found:

"Black boys still not getting jobs ...Muslim girls getting good grades at school, but no decent employment opportunities."

But surely being locked out of the job market for no other reason than your race or religion must  be a huge factor for non integration.

The danger is that Louise Casey’s review isn’t really about integration, because there are many other religions and communities- including white suburbia who segregate themselves. Furthermore, if integration was central then tackling race and religious inequality would be, one would think a major priority.

The dishonesty of many reports like this  is to purport to talk about the lack of Muslim integration, but really seek crude and often dishonest answers as to why a relatively miniscule number of the Muslims would seek to fight in jihadist wars and even contemplate causing harm on our own shores too.

I think many people including Muslims, would like to have an honest debate about Muslim radicalisation, because we would then be better placed to acknowledge that our present modus operandi of demonising the whole Muslim community on a constant basis only serves to tell young educated Muslims that this nation doesn’t want you and doesn’t like you.

The sad irony is that this toxic backdrop then  becomes fertile radical recruiting ground for the most disillusioned Muslims, who, over a long period of time have been pushed away at every juncture only to be told, 'you don’t belong'.

My biggest fear is that the Louise Casey Review will be more of the same, and the media that lapped up with great relish the Trevor Phillips tripe, will equally lap this up and once again kick this beleaguered community.

Simon Woolley