EXCLUSIVE

MP CALLS FOR CURB ON RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS

25-10-2006

West Midlands MP John Spellar has entered the row on religious education by calling for a ban on new faith schools.

Spellar, who represents Warleyhas been silent over recent weeks asthe government has struggled with a grudging policy u-turn.

But now he has spoken out unequivocally, telling The Stirrer that voters across his racially mixed community - which basically covers Smethwick -want more integration, not less.

During the early years of Tony Blair's premiership,encouragement was given to Muslims, especially, to have their own educational establishments within the state sector.

It chimed well with Blair's ownbelief in the value of religion and the government's wider commitment to multi-culturalism.

Riots in Burnley and Oldham in 2001 forced many Labour MP's - if not the Prime Minister- to question that strategy.

The official report into the outbreaks of violence in the north-west blamed wilful segregation on the part of the white and Asian communities, and suggested this had to be challenged. Schooling would seem to be the most obvious place to start.

More recently, cabinet minister Jack Straw opened up a national discussion about the niqab or full veil worn by some Muslim women, which he said he regarded as a sign of separation.

Now the Education Secretary Alan Johnson has said the government is considering legislation that could forcefaith schools to admit at least 25% of pupils who have a different religious belief or none at all in bid to break down social barriers.

Spellar told The Stirrerhe wants them to go further.

He said: “People don't want to see any more faith schools in general. What we've got in Smethwick is lots of multi-racial and muti-cultural schools. They are already good and they are improving.

“What we don't want is more segregation, so allowing more faith schools would not be a good idea. That's the view I'm getting across the board from people in a multi-ethnic community. The hard thing is getting the Department of Education to realise that.

“People don't want endless debate about who they are and what they are doing. They just want to get on with their lives