MP says that the "vast majority" of people breaking lockdown rules are from the “Immigrant and Asian population”.

 

A Conservative MP told LBC that the "vast majority" of people breaking lockdown rules are from the “immigrant and Asian population”.

The Government's announced a ban on different households meeting indoors in parts of northern England - in response to a spike in coronavirus cases. They won't be allowed to mix in each other's homes or gardens, or in places like pubs and restaurants.

The restrictions affect more than 4 million people across Greater Manchester and parts of east Lancashire and West Yorkshire. This follows the restrictions that are already in place in Leicester.

Craig Whittaker is MP for the Calder Valley, one of the areas that has been affected. He told Ian Payne that it is Muslim and BAME communities who have not been obeying lockdown rules.

He said: "What I have seen in my constituency is that there are sections of the community that are not taking the pandemic seriously."

Ian clarified that he was talking about the Muslim community and Mr Whittaker responded: "Of course.

"If you look at the areas where we've seen rises and cases, the vast majority - but not by any stretch of the imagination all areas - it is the BAME communities that are not taking this seriously enough.

"I've been challenging our local leaders for three weeks, asking what we are doing to target these areas to let people know that this is a very serious problem. Until people take it seriously, we're not going to get rid of this pandemic.

"We have areas of high multiple occupancy - when you have multiple families living in one household. It doesn't specifically have to be in the Asian community, but that is the largest proportion.

"Look at the areas. You've got Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees. Bradford and Kirklees have two of the largest populations in West Yorkshire."

Again Ian clarified that he was referring to the immigrant population and the MP said: "Immigrant and Asian population."

Here is a full transcript of the interview between Ian Payne of LBC & Craig Whittaker, Conservative MP for Calder Valley on 31^st July 2020:-

CW – We are told about households mixing whether that is indoors, in any settings and I can say in Calder Valley they are doing that incredibly well and taking huge amounts of caution, but sadly we have got other areas where they are just not taking the Pandemic seriously.

IP – Can I ask, and this is quite a brutal question, but I will ask it anyway, is this something to do with EID and the Muslim community? 

CW – Well it is nothing to do with EID so far as I am concerned, but what I have seen in my constituency that we have areas of our community and sections of our community that are just not taking the pandemic seriously.

IP – It is a Muslim community.

CW – Of course and if you look at the areas where we have seen rises in cases, the vast majority, not by any stretch the most imagination all areas, but it is the only community who are not taking this seriously enough.

IP – Blimey – you could come in for a lot of criticism with this.  Are you ready for it?

CW – Yeah. Absolutely but you know I have been challenging our local leaders now for two weeks at least, in fact three weeks, asking what are we doing to target these areas to let people know that this is still a very serious problem and until people take it seriously then we are not going to get rid of this pandemic. 

IP – So what we are talking about here is a specific part of the community who tends to meet in what, each other’s houses in large numbers? 

CW – Well yeah, it is not just the Asian community of course in our areas but its

IP – Sounds like it

CW – Well we also have areas of high multiple occupancy that are in the same boat, but the majority

IP – What do you mean by that?  High occupancy.  What do you mean?

CW – Well where you have multiple families within one household and that doesn’t specifically have to be the Asian community, but that is the largest proportion.  I mean you look at all the areas.  You’ve got Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees and we have Bradford and Kirklees who have two of the largest populations in West Yorkshire.

IP – Right so we are talking about immigrant communities are we?

CW – We are.

IP – Yeah okay.

CW – Well immigrant and Asian population.

Here is a link to the original>>>

https://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/ian-payne/muslim-bame-communities-coronavirus-pandemic/