Immigrants 'should swear loyalty to UK'

The Bradford rioting left 300 police injured

Immigrants should swear an oath of allegiance to the UK, according to the main report into the summer riots in Bradford, Oldham and Burnley.

Proponents of the oath, based on a version used in Canada, believe it would demonstrate "clear primary loyalty".

But the government is already playing down the idea with Home Office Minister John Denham telling BBC Two's Newsnight programme he was "not attracted" to it.

This debate will give credence to the racists and all the racial prejudice in this country

Habib Rahman
JCWI

The proposed oath would describe the "responsibilities of citizenship" and include a promise to learn English and obey UK laws.

It would also feature a commitment to tackle racism and accept different cultures and religions, said the chairman of the Community Cohesion Review Team.

But Ted Cantle said his team had deliberately not specified exactly what the new oath should include.

Home Office minister John Denham, who chaired a cross-departmental investigation into the riots, earlier said: "We have not made a commitment to a formal oath of allegiance, but we do want the debate to take place."

Racial prejudice

But Habib Rahman, head of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI), said an oath would be "divisive" and undermine a multi-cultural society.

"This debate will give credence to the racists and all the racial prejudice in this country," he said.

The Cantle report also said people in Britain were leading "parallel" and "polarised" lives where those from different backgrounds did not mix.

A review of the Oldham riots warned: "Segregation, albeit self-segregation, is an unacceptable basis for a harmonious community and it will lead to more serious problems if it is not tackled."

A third report, on the Burnley riots, called for action to tackle the deprivation and "disillusionment" of young people which has led to "violence and prejudice".

'Divisive' policy

The Cantle report warned there would be no quick fixes, and made 67 recommendations covering areas like housing, political leadership, education, youth and leisure facilities and regeneration.

It called for changes in the management of regeneration schemes, as they force groups to "compete against each other" and foster resentment.

It warned the government's policy of encouraging single-faith schools might deepen divisions.

Mr Blunkett gave a speech on race relations in Birmingham

Home Secretary David Blunkett, who spoke about race relations in Birmingham on Tuesday, welcomed the reports and called for a debate on citizenship.

"[The] reports show that too many of our towns and cities lack any sense of civic identity or shared values."

But he defended the government's policy on encouraging faith schools.

He said if some religions could have faith schools, it was unfair to deny them to others.

Former Commission for Racial Equality member Dr Raj Chandran said the suggestion for 25% of each school to be from a different ethnic or religious group was "impossible".

One passport

He told Newsnight that successive governments had created problems by allowing dual passports which caused dual loyalties.

"The home secretary should come out and say there should be only one passport once you become a citizen of this country."

A previous report found Bradford "in the grip of fear"

Responding to the Cantle Report, a separate Home Office study by Mr Denham outlined steps already taken and government ideas to tackle the problems.

It pledged to press concerned local authorities to publish plans for community cohesion by April 2002.

It also proposed a research programme to give greater understanding of segregation in the UK.

Mr Denham told Newsnight he wanted the procedures leading to British citizenship to become a "positive process".

The summer's disturbances were some of the UK's worst, with the Bradford violence alone causing an estimated £10m damage, and injuring 300 police officers.