British values
Today the rather grisly spectacle of the competition to elect a new leader continues at the Conservative Party annual conference in Birmingham. Kemi Badenoch, the bookies favourite, has nailed her colours to a "hard-nosed immigration policy", which is sure to go down well with the party faithful. Short on policy specifics, she refers frequently to "British values", stating that "Our country is not a dormitory for people to come here and make money. It is our home." (this may come as news to the average party member whose "values" essentially amount to accumulating wealth, avoiding taxes, before retiring to sunnier climes).
Badenoch is a second generation immigrant, like me. Born in London, she spent her childhood in Nigeria and America before settling back in England (presumably for patriotic, non-economic purposes). She seems confident when talking about behaviour that is at odds with British values ("ancestral ethnic hostilities", "lack of integration", those who "hate Israel"), less certain in actually defining what she seeks to defend. Given the ridicule attached to Tories in recent political history that have attempted this (John Major - spinsters cycling to church on a Sunday morning accompanied by the gentle thwack of leather on willow . . Theresa May - vicar's daughter romping in a corn field) she is probably wise to remain vague.
But I will be interested to learn more as and when she choses to define her idea of patritism more positively. For the record, my own "British values" are:
* Respect for the rule of law and other rules-based systems
* Making sure that no one is left behind economically or socially
* Taking my place in the queue and paying my fair share of taxes
* Positive progress through education and decent basic healthcare
* Hospitality and respectful treatment of everyone, even those who seem strange or inconvenient to us
Those are the values passed down to me by my immigrant mum and Polish grandparents, and reinforced by my British dad. Values which I think are worth defending.
Badenoch is a second generation immigrant, like me. Born in London, she spent her childhood in Nigeria and America before settling back in England (presumably for patriotic, non-economic purposes). She seems confident when talking about behaviour that is at odds with British values ("ancestral ethnic hostilities", "lack of integration", those who "hate Israel"), less certain in actually defining what she seeks to defend. Given the ridicule attached to Tories in recent political history that have attempted this (John Major - spinsters cycling to church on a Sunday morning accompanied by the gentle thwack of leather on willow . . Theresa May - vicar's daughter romping in a corn field) she is probably wise to remain vague.
But I will be interested to learn more as and when she choses to define her idea of patritism more positively. For the record, my own "British values" are:
* Respect for the rule of law and other rules-based systems
* Making sure that no one is left behind economically or socially
* Taking my place in the queue and paying my fair share of taxes
* Positive progress through education and decent basic healthcare
* Hospitality and respectful treatment of everyone, even those who seem strange or inconvenient to us
Those are the values passed down to me by my immigrant mum and Polish grandparents, and reinforced by my British dad. Values which I think are worth defending.
36-40, F
