Sarah will be at Downing Street today to deliver a 1,000 name petition on behalf of Hindu’s opposing further restrictions by the Home Office on religious workers seeking leave to stay in the UK.
For the Home Office, the measures they wish to take (outlined here by The Scotsman) are part of building community cohesion.
“Multi-cultural communities are often multi- faith communities and this should be fully recognised in policies aimed at promoting diversity. Fostering understanding and respect between different faiths is vital in practically implementing community cohesion strategies.” Home Office website
Sarah thinks that the Home Office appear to have introduced regulations based on a “Judaeo-Christian model of worship without considering the implications for other faiths”
And the Home Office response to all of this? Sadly, not exactly capitulation to logic. They have agreed to conduct another round of consultation with faith groups (good) but insist that: “it is essential that ministers coming from overseas can speak English when they arrive in the UK (bad).
Sarah Teather hasn’t given up hope after hearing that. She maintains that: “Finally the government appears to have recognised the problem. However consultation must be true consultation. Listening in good faith means being prepared to change your mind”.
Let us hope that her optimism is not misplaced. New Kerala