Hodge accused of using language of the BNP

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article1839402.ece

Alan Johnson, the Education Secretary, accused ministerial colleague
Margaret Hodge of using the language of the of the far-right British
National Party last night.

Ms Hodge, trade and industry minister, wrote in an article last
weekend that indigenous British families should be given housing
priority over immigrants.

Ms Hodge argued that Britons felt a legitimate sense of entitlement
to housing, and said that she wanted to reassess the priorities for
social housing. She suggested more weight should be given to length of
residence, citizenship and national insurance contributions.

The problem with that is thats the kind of language of the BNP, and
its grist to the mill of the BNP, particularly as there is no
evidence that theres any problem in social housing caused by
immigration, none whatsoever, Mr Johnson, the deputy Labour
leadership candidate, said on the BBCs Question Time programme. 

Jon Cruddas, another candidate for the Labour deputy leadership,
echoed Mr Johnsons comments, and criticised Ms Hodge for getting her
facts wrong and helping the BNP to racialise housing policy.

Housing is allocated according to need, and it is disingenuous for
Margaret Hodge to suggest otherwise, he said. The problem is lack of
housing supply and its a shame she wasnt so vocal in the campaign
for the building of more council housing.

Ms Hodge was first accused of legitimising the BNP last year. She
claimed that up to eight out of ten working-class white families in
her East London constituency of Barking were tempted to vote for the
right wing party in the May election.

Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, was unequivocal in his attack on
her assertions: Margaret Hodges suggestion that housing allocation
should be based not on need but factors like length of residence would
be catastrophic for community relations.

Politicians in general, and Government ministers in particular,
should get their facts right before making statements with the
potential to do great harm to the good community relations on which
the prosperity of all Londoners depends.

The Government has already announced a new points-based immigration
policy, which is likely to cut long-term settlement by unskilled
migrants in the UK.

Ms Hodge set out her proposals in a Sunday newspaper last weekend. "We
should look at policies where the legitimate sense of entitlement felt
by the indigenous family overrides the legitimate need demonstrated by
the new migrants," she wrote in The Observer.

"We should also look at drawing up different rules based on, for
instance, length of residence, citizenship or national insurance
contributions, which carry more weight in a transparent points system
used to decide who is entitled to access social housing."

date: Fri, 25 May 2007 21:17:28 +0100 author: Steve Greene lid

Re: Hodge accused of using language of the BNP

Steve Greene wrote:
> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article1839402.ece
> 
> Alan Johnson, the Education Secretary, accused ministerial colleague
> Margaret Hodge of using the language of the of the far-right British
> National Party last night.
> 
> Ms Hodge, trade and industry minister, wrote in an article last
> weekend that indigenous British families should be given housing
> priority over immigrants.
> 
> Ms Hodge argued that Britons felt a legitimate sense of entitlement
> to housing, and said that she wanted to reassess the priorities for
> social housing. She suggested more weight should be given to length of
> residence, citizenship and national insurance contributions.
> 
> The problem with that is thats the kind of language of the BNP, and
> its grist to the mill of the BNP, particularly as there is no
> evidence that theres any problem in social housing caused by
> immigration, none whatsoever, Mr Johnson, the deputy Labour
> leadership candidate, said on the BBCs Question Time programme. 
> 
> Jon Cruddas, another candidate for the Labour deputy leadership,
> echoed Mr Johnsons comments, and criticised Ms Hodge for getting her
> facts wrong and helping the BNP to racialise housing policy.
> 
> Housing is allocated according to need, and it is disingenuous for
> Margaret Hodge to suggest otherwise, he said. The problem is lack of
> housing supply and its a shame she wasnt so vocal in the campaign
> for the building of more council housing.
> 
> Ms Hodge was first accused of legitimising the BNP last year. She
> claimed that up to eight out of ten working-class white families in
> her East London constituency of Barking were tempted to vote for the
> right wing party in the May election.
> 
> Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, was unequivocal in his attack on
> her assertions: Margaret Hodges suggestion that housing allocation
> should be based not on need but factors like length of residence would
> be catastrophic for community relations.
> 
> Politicians in general, and Government ministers in particular,
> should get their facts right before making statements with the
> potential to do great harm to the good community relations on which
> the prosperity of all Londoners depends.
> 
> The Government has already announced a new points-based immigration
> policy, which is likely to cut long-term settlement by unskilled
> migrants in the UK.
> 
> Ms Hodge set out her proposals in a Sunday newspaper last weekend. "We
> should look at policies where the legitimate sense of entitlement felt
> by the indigenous family overrides the legitimate need demonstrated by
> the new migrants," she wrote in The Observer.
> 
> "We should also look at drawing up different rules based on, for
> instance, length of residence, citizenship or national insurance
> contributions, which carry more weight in a transparent points system
> used to decide who is entitled to access social housing." 


             What Ms Hodge proposed is the very least we should expect!!