UK debate over Islam and 'Britishness'

Children hold placards denouncing the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in 2006 in London [EPA]

London, United Kingdom - A new row has erupted between the British government and Muslim organisations after the minister responsible for community cohesion wrote to hundreds of imams calling on them to do more to tackle violent extremism and demonstrate "how faith in Islam can be part of British identity".
The letter, sent by Eric Pickles, the secretary of state for communities and local government, to every mosque in England, provoked an angry response from the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), which accused the government of peddling far-right arguments about integration.
"Is Mr Pickles seriously suggesting, as do members of the far right, that Muslims and Islam are inherently apart from British society?" said Harun Khan, the deputy secretary-general of the MCB.

Children hold placards denouncing the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in 2006 in London [EPA]

London, United Kingdom - A new row has erupted between the British government and Muslim organisations after the minister responsible for community cohesion wrote to hundreds of imams calling on them to do more to tackle violent extremism and demonstrate "how faith in Islam can be part of British identity". The letter, sent by Eric Pickles, the secretary of state for communities and local government, to every mosque in England, provoked an angry response from the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), which accused the government of peddling far-right arguments about integration. "Is Mr Pickles seriously suggesting, as do members of the far right, that Muslims and Islam are inherently apart from British society?" said Harun Khan, the deputy secretary-general of the MCB. There is a need to lay out more clearly than ever before what being a British Muslim means today: proud of your faith and proud of your country. - Eric Pickles, secretary of state for communities and local government Others dismissed the tone of the letter as patronising and suggested the government appeared to be seeking to shift the blame for the failings of its counter-extremism policy and the security services onto Muslim communities. But David Cameron, the British prime minister, rejected criticism, calling the tone and content of the letter "reasonable, sensible and moderate". "Anyone, frankly, reading this letter, who has a problem with it, I think really has a problem," he said. 'Lay out more clearly' The argument comes just days after the MCB accused the government of undermining civil liberties with its new counterterrorism and security bill, which it says will foster a "climate of fear and victimisation" within the Muslim community. Cameron has also faced criticism for using this month's attacks in Paris to make the case for new surveillance powers.  Writing to more than 1,000 imams, Pickles thanked them for their "positive work" and praised British Muslims for speaking out against the France attacks. But he said: "There is more work to do... You, as faith leaders, are in a unique position in our society. You have a precious opportunity, and an important responsibility: in explaining and demonstrating how faith in Islam can be part of British identity.

Source  http://www.aljazeera.com