Tory MP sparks racism row after claiming the ‘vast majority’ of lockdown rule-breakers are from BAME communities
- Craig Whittaker, of Calder Valley in West Yorkshire, has sparked a racism row
- He said ‘sections of our community are just not taking the pandemic seriously’
- The MP made the comments after local lockdowns were imposed in the North
Craig Whittaker, who represents Calder Valley in West Yorkshire, has been accused of racism yesterday after claiming the ‘vast majority’ breaking lockdown restrictions were from black and minority ethnic communities
A Tory MP was accused of racism yesterday after claiming the ‘vast majority’ breaking lockdown restrictions were from black and minority ethnic communities.
Craig Whittaker, who represents Calder Valley in West Yorkshire, said there were ‘sections of our community that are just not taking the pandemic seriously’.
He made the comments during an interview with LBC Radio after local lockdown measures were imposed on large parts of the North including his constituency.
When asked to clarify whether his statement related to the Muslim community, he said: ‘Of course.
‘If you look at the areas where we have seen rises and cases, the vast majority – not by any stretch of the imagination all areas – it is the BME communities that are not taking this seriously enough.’
Mr Whittaker accepted his view would be controversial, adding: ‘I’ve been challenging our local leaders… asking what are we doing to target these areas, to let people know this is still a very serious problem.
‘Until people take it seriously, we’re not going to get rid of this pandemic. It’s not just the Asian community in our area. We also have areas of high multiple occupancy that are in the same boat.
‘When you have multiple families living in one household, that doesn’t specifically have to be the Asian community, but that is the largest proportion.’
Labour equalities spokesman Marsha de Cordova said the comments were ‘disgraceful and overt racism’.
Adding that Mr Whittaker was ‘blaming… the very people whose lives and livelihoods have been the worst-hit by Covid-19’, she urged Boris Johnson to ‘condemn this comment and take action’.
A spokesman for the Muslim Council of Britain said: ‘This is shameless scapegoating of minorities. It is utterly unacceptable and Mr Whittaker should apologise.’
The Prime Minister was asked during a Downing Street press conference if he agreed with Mr Whittaker’s sentiments, but chose not to criticise his colleague.
He said: ‘It’s up to all of us in government to make sure the message is being heard loud and clear by everybody across the country, and to make sure that everybody is complying with the guidance.’
Mohammed Ashrif Tahir Nushai, a community leader in Bradford, defended the new lockdown measures, saying: ‘Sadly, there are people within our community who are not taking coronavirus seriously enough.’
He added many were ‘attending events in each other’s homes with very little thought of keeping themselves safe’.
The row comes as official data showed Asian and Asian British people made up a third of those who tested positive for Covid-19 in the week to July 26.
The statistics from Public Health England showed 1,369 of the positive cases in England (37 per cent) were among the Asian and Asian British population.
White people made up 53 per cent (1,976 cases) and black, African, Caribbean and black British people five per cent.