”The Appendix on Newspeak in George
Orwell's 1984 makes clear that the attempt
of Big Brother to control language encountered
difficulties. The translation of key works of
English literature had to be put off until 2050.
Can Trevor Phillips, announcing the end of
"multicultural" as a desirable term, stay at
the Commission for Racial Equality that long?  

RWE: I do hope that Trevor Phillips does stay at CORE, and not forced out by this hasty gaffe – he should be given time to recover, and to preach the individualist doctrines of ‘Nuff Respect.

I don't regard the debate which has broken out as phoney.  Yes, Trevor Phillips is half-right to say that we need more stress on "Britishness".  But he is half-wrong - and could cause confusion and fear - to set out to junk "multiculturalism".

I think I know what started this anxiety about the term - the Parekh report of 2000, The Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain. It was a bit of a dog's dinner, huge and verbose. Trevor Phillips was himself a signatory, and various members plainly drafted different sections - but few can have read it through. There were incautious assertions that Britain should become "a community of communities", as if all groups and their customs should be equally respected, and as if groups should determine the rights of their members.

"Group rights" is a tricky concept, especially for women in traditional groups.  "Human rights" is preferable.

RWE:  For me, this is the key.  Concepts of “group rights” will take us in the wrong direction. This perception is, I say, universal – as relevant to Beijing and Baghdad as it is to Stormont, or Cardiff Bay.   The right  contemporary configuration is that of “human rights”, of equality before the law, before the State and all its manifestations, beneficent and censorious.

This understanding would also demonstrate to traditionalists in the ethnic communities that there is and must be an acceptable sense of dual (sometimes multiple) cultural identities within allegiance to the laws of the State. Britishness is, to me, an overarching political and legal concept.  It signifies allegiance to the laws, government and broad moral and political concepts - like tolerance and freedom of expression - that hold the United Kingdom together.   But there is no overall British culture, only a sharing of cultures.  

Britishness is a strong concept, but narrower than many suppose.   Do we not speak of - and recognise at once - English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh novels, plays and poems? And whatever Fifa may think, we see nothing odd in fielding four "national" football teams. And we recognise an immigrant literature in English, though even the authors sometimes find it hard to name.

RWE: Too right, Bernard, too right.   I have no doubt whatever that, in playing the Nastier than Thou card, Blunkett is trying (albeit misguidedly) to out-nasty the Right, and remove a few right-wing cards from the hand they will command, at the next Election.  That tactic is bound to misfire.  Blair would be better advised to ditch this misguided approach and develop a tough form of liberal socialism, which would play better with an electoral majority which is at base tolerant, rejecting racism.